2000 OFC Nations Cup Final

The 2000 OFC Nations Cup Final was an association football match that took place on 28 June 2000 at the Stade Pater, Papeete. It was the final of the 2000 OFC Nations Cup which was the fifth edition of the OFC Nations Cup, an international competition for national teams in the Oceania Football Confederation.

2000 OFC Nations Cup Final
Event2000 OFC Nations Cup
Australia New Zealand
2 0
Date28 June 2000
VenueStade Pater, Papeete
RefereeHarry Attison

It was contested between Australia and New Zealand in what was a repeat of the 1998 final which New Zealand won. This was also New Zealand's third appearance in a continentinal final after also appearing in the 1973 final which they won.[1] For Australia, this was their fourth appearance in the final with Australia also winning the 1980 and 1996.[1] After both teams won their respective groups, Australia defeated Vanuatu while New Zealand defeated the Solomon Islands.[2]

In the final, goals from Shaun Murphy and Craig Foster gave Australia a 2–0 win over New Zealand to record their third OFC title. This also meant that as winners of the Nations Cup, they also qualified for the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup which was held in South Korea and Japan as representative of the OFC.

Route to the final
Main article: 2000 OFC Nations Cup
Australia Round New Zealand
Opponent Result Group stage Opponent Result
 Cook Islands 17–0 Match 1  Tahiti 2–0
 Solomon Islands 6–0 Match 2  Vanuatu 3–1
Group A winner
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Australia 2200230+236
 Solomon Islands 210157−23
 Cook Islands 2002122−210
 Final standings Group B winner
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 New Zealand 220051+46
 Vanuatu 210145−13
 Tahiti 200225−30
Opponent Result Knockout stage Opponent Result
 Vanuatu 1–0 Semi-finals  Solomon Islands 2–0

Australia

As finalists in the 1998 OFC Nations Cup, and the OFC's top-ranked side, the "Socceroos" were given entry straight into the tournament finals. They progressed comfortably through the group stage, accounting for Cook Islands and Solomon Islands comfortably 17-0 and 6-0 respectively. In the semi-final, they played Vanuatu, winning 1-0 in a match that was closer than expected. Australia's Clayton Zane was the tournament's top scorer going into the final, with 5 goals.

New Zealand

Like Australia, New Zealand were given direct entry into the tournament finals, as 1998 OFC Nations Cup champions and the OFC's second ranked side. They beat both Tahiti and Vanuatu by 2 goals to progress from the group stage. In the semi-finals, they played Solomon Islands and won 2-0 to move through to the final.

Pre-match

Analysis

Despite New Zealand having won the 1998 OFC Nations Cup final, Australia went into the game as favourites, ranked 15 spots ahead of New Zealand in FIFA World Rankings.

Match

First half

Australia was the better side for much of the match, although New Zealand did create some chances. Australia took the lead 5 minutes from half time, as Shaun Murphy scored off a Stan Lazaridis corner.

Second half

Australia's ascendency continued, and when Danny Tiatto's cross was finished by Craig Foster midway through the second half, the result was all but secured for Australia.

Match details
Australia 2–0 New Zealand
Shaun Murphy  40'
Craig Foster  66'		 Report
Stade Pater, Papeete
Attendance: 300
Referee: Harry Attison
Australia
New Zealand

AUSTRALIA:
GK1Zeljko Kalac
DF2Kevin Muscat
DF3Shaun Murphy 40'
DF5Tony Popovic
DF7Danny Tiatto
MF8Stan Lazaridis
MF4Paul Okon
MF6Craig Foster 66' 80'
MF13Brett Emerton
FW9David Zdrillic
FW11Paul Agostino 80'
Substitutes:
MF14Aurelio Vidmar 80'
FW15Clayton Zane 80'
Manager:
Frank Farina

NEW ZEALAND:
GK1Jason Batty
DF2Che Bunce
DF3Sean Douglas
DF5Jonathan Perry
DF6Gavin Wilkinson 27' 70'
DF18Scott Smith
MF7Simon Elliott
MF10Chris Jackson
MF12Mark Atkinson 77'
FW8Chris Killen
FW13Kris Bouckenooghe
Substitutes:
MF16Raf de Gregorio 70'
FW9Paul Urlovic 77'
Manager:
Ken Dugdale

Post match

Australia's win qualified them for the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup, and was their third OFC Nations Cup win their first since 1996.

See also

References
  1. "Oceanian Nations Cup". rsssf.com. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  2. "Oceanian Nations Cup 2000". rsssf.com. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
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