2002 World Cup - New Zealand 5 Solomon Islands 1

New Zealand need one more win to set up an Oceania play-off final against Australia later this month.

A 5-1 win over the Solomon Islands in Albany all but assured the hosts of their progress to the two-leg final.

But the Solomons can still go through if they beat Tahiti in their final match with New Zealand needing to beat Vanuatu.

Vaughan Coveny scored the first goal in the 27th minute but Solomon players protested that the ball from his shot had not corossed the goal line.

Samoan assistant referee Malo Vaga gave the goal and Chris Jackson scored from close range in the 35th minute before Coveny and Jackson scored with low drives in the second half.

Paul Urlovic made it 5-0 in the 69th minute and the Solomons scored a consolation goal when new Zealan goalkeeper Ross Nicholson failed to colect a back pass properly allowing Suri in to run the ball home.

New Zealand coach Ken Dugdale said after the game that big wins in the Oceania zone of the World Cup were no good for the region if it wanted to improve its standing in the world game and branded some of the matches in Oceania as "freak shows".

Speaking two days after Oceania rivals Australia had beaten Brazil at the Confederations Cup Dugdale said:

"Australia went out and destroyed American Samoa 31-0, which would have done nothing for them or the Samoans and certainly did nothing for Oceania," Dugdale said.

"All 31-0 does is make the game in the region a freak show. Oceania needs to be competitive if it wants direct entry into the World Cup finals. "

"The focus on every game is to win, but it is disappointing when one team is so strong it whacks in 30-odd goals."