WELLINGTON, New Zealand: Georges Gope-Fenepej scored twice as New Caledonia beat Tahiti 4-0 yesterday in the third stage of Oceania regional qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.
Cesar Lolohea and Bertrand Kai also scored for New Caledonia, which posted its first win in the four-nation qualifying tournament after a loss to New Zealand. Oceania Nations Cup champion Tahiti is winless after two matches, having lost 2-0 to the Solomon Islands in its opening match.
After a scoreless first half, Lolohea opened the scoring in the 57th minute with a 35-meter drive that beat goalkeeper Xavier Samin.
Kai headed home Lolohea’s cross in the 60th minute and Gope-Fenepej scored from a Lolohea pass two minutes later as New Caledonia scored three goals in five minutes.
Gope-Fenepej completed his double in the 90th minute in the match played in the Tahitian capital Papeete.
The third stage of qualifying matches in the Oceania region involves home and away matches between Tahiti, New Caledonia, New Zealand and Solomon Islands, the four semifinalists from the Oceania Nations Cup earlier this year.
New Zealand tops the standings after beating New Caledonia 2-0 and the Solomon Islands 6-1.
The tournament continues until March and the winner plays the fifth-place team from the CONCACAF region for a place in the World Cup finals in Brazil in 2014.