The Oly Whites head into tomorrow's football match against Tonga looking for momentum and the last remaining spot in the semifinals of the Oceania men's Olympic qualifiers.
While New Zealand enjoyed a rest day yesterday, Vanuatu, Fiji and Papua New Guinea all claimed the victories they needed to book their passage into the next stage on the road to London.
Fiji trounced American Samoa 7-1 and Vanuatu edged the Solomon Islands 1-0 to claim the two semifinals places available in Group A, while in Group B Papua New Guinea bounced back from Friday's 1-0 defeat to New Zealand with a 3-0 win over Tonga that sees them into the final four.
Only a two-goal defeat to Tonga would prevent the Oly Whites securing a Thursday semifinal against the second placed team from Group A, but coach Neil Emblen said adding the finishing touches to what was an otherwise solid opening performance is his focus.
"After reviewing our first game we can take a lot of heart with the sheer number of chances we created even though we were still perhaps a bit rusty,'' he said. "Even with 10 men we were still creating opportunities.
"We've had a few more days together as a team and those combinations are beginning to click. If we gel like I think we will, and we get the sort of performance we're capable of, then the result will look after itself.''
Already without striker Dakota Lucas for this match through suspension, and star midfielder Marco Rojas through injury for the entire tournament, Emblen will rest first choice fullback Ian Hogg who was substituted early in the opening game with a tight hamstring.
