A bizarre pair of blunders from Fiji has gifted New Zealand a 2-0 victory in the first leg of their Oceania World Cup qualifier in Lautoka.
Chris Wood. Photo: Photosport
The teams played out a goalless first half at Churchill Park before the hosts lost the plot.
Two minutes into the second half, while not under any pressure, a Fiji defender was deemed to have handled the ball inside the box as he attempted to control it with his chest.
Captain Chris Wood stepped up to take the resulting penalty with the Leeds striker burying the ball into the top right side of the net.
Eight minutes later a series of back passes to goalkeeper Beniamino Mateinaqara went horribly wrong for the hosts, as Mateinaqara pressed up outside the box.
A moment's indecision from the keeper was all the time Marco Rojas needed, tackling Mateinaqara and passing in the easiest goal the Melbourne Victory midfielder is likely to score for his country.
Marco Rojas. Photo: Photosport
The teams meet again on Tuesday in Wellington.
