The All Whites are almost assured of progressing to the next phase of the World Cup qualifiers by virtue of their 2-1 win over Papua New Guinea in Honiara today but their performance was again far from convincing.
The top four teams from the eight-team tournament move through to home-and-away playoffs but that was always going to happen for New Zealand, who will make it but for a freak combination of ressults.
The big goal is to win the tournament, which brings qualification for next year's Confederations Cup, and they have made hard work of their first two games so far.
But they have won both and the conditions cannot be underestimated. Today's game kicked off at noon in debilitating 39-degree heat.
The players were already drenched in sweat by the time Shane Smeltz met a Jeremy Brockie at the near post with a diving header to open the scoring after two minutes.
For the next 15 minutes the All Whites dominated proceedings without really fashioning another chance. But as they became increasingly frustrated, as passes went astray and players were on different wavelengths, Papua New Guinea worked their way into the match with their quick movement of ball and feet.
Kema Jack lashed an ambitious volley just wide that New Zealand keeper Jake Gleeson misjudged, Kila Iaravai had a free header from a corner and Gleeson tipped over a powerful Michael Foster drive.
The game was following a similar pattern as their first, when they scored early against Fiji and held on as Fiji grew in confidence.
Coach Ricki Herbert had hoped this game would see his side play with more fluency and help them gain momentum in the tournament. They needed a second goal to ease the pressure and it came in the 53rd minute through Chris Wood, who coolly slotted home from a Smeltz cross on the break.
Only Wood and Smeltz celebrated near the goal _ for the rest it was too much effort and they met in the centre circle.
They came close to a third before PNG scored a late penalty after Tony Lochhead was ajudged to have handled the ball in the box.
It caused some anxiety for New Zealand but it seems to be their lot at this tournament.
Ganes, however, will only get more difficult from here and they take on the Solomon Islands on Wednesday before a semifinal on Friday.
