NZ make Olympic dream reality

Words: ACFC Media

Sunday 6 October 2019

SUVA, Fiji - New Zealand U-23 have qualified for the Men's Olympic Football Tournament in Tokyo, Japan, next year after beating the Solomon Islands 5-0 in Suva today.

Navy Blues pair Logan Rogerson and Myer Bevan were in the thick of the action with the former scoring the opening goal after just seven minutes and the latter helping himself to a brace with a goal in each half.

GOAL! Logan Rogerson opens the scoring for New Zealand

GOAL NZL!!!! NZL 1-0 SOL https://t.co/pUE8luJ2eu
— OFC Oceania Football (@OFCfootball) October 5, 2019

Ben Waine also scored to hand Des Buckingham's team a commanding 3-0 halftime lead that enabled him to withdraw Rogerson on the hour mark.

Bevan grabbed his second of the match and his 12th of the tournament to earn himself the tournament golden boot ahead of Waine who scored eight.

Billy Jones added New Zealand's fifth deep into stoppage time to complete the rout.

GOAL! Myer Bevan doubles New Zealand's advantage

GOAL NZL!!! NZL 2-0 SOL https://t.co/Bg6mLp6wOG
— OFC Oceania Football (@OFCfootball) October 5, 2019

Rogerson, Bevan and goalkeepers Cameron Brown and Conor Tracey are all signed with Auckland City FC this season while Robert Tipelu - who appeared as a late substitute - featured for the Junior Navy Blues in the National Youth League.

Clayton Lewis, another former Auckland City FC player, played 52 matches for the Navy Blues, scoring 16 goals.

The Men's Olympic Football Tournament will be held from 23 July to 8 August 2020 in seven stadiums across six different venues.

GOAL! Myer Bevan grabs his second of the game

GOAL NZL!!!! NZL 4-0 SOL https://t.co/cPG8bxG3tY
— OFC Oceania Football (@OFCfootball) October 5, 2019

New Zealand U-23 join fellow qualifiers Japan, France, Germany, Romania and Spain with a further 10 yet to be identified from South America, Africa, Asia and North and Central America.

Ends

Match Result
OFC Men's Olympic Football Qualifiers
Saturday 5 October 2019
New Zealand 5 (Logan ROGERSON 7', Myer BEVAN 27', 70', Ben WAINE 30', Billy JONES 90+3')
Solomon Islands 0
HT: 3-0.

NZL: 1. Cameron BROWN (GK), 4. Hunter ASHWORTH, 6. Dane SCHNELL, 7. Myer BEVAN, 9. Logan ROGERSON [c] (8. Jake PORTER 58'), 10. Clayton LEWIS, 13. liberato CACACE, 14. Billy JONES, 16. Gianni STENSNESS (5. Robert TIPELU 80'), 17. Callan ELLIOT, 18. Ben WAINE (19. Noah BILLINGSLEY 65')

SUBS NOT USED: 12. Conor TRACEY (GK), 20. Alex PAULSEN (GK), 2. Jordan SPAIN, 3. Dylan DE JONG, 11. Ollie WHYTE, 15. Sean LIDDICOAT.

COACH: Des BUCKINGHAM.

FULL TIME | Congratulations to the New Zealand Oly Whites on their qualification to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after a convincing win against the Solomon Islands in the final of the OFC Men's Olympic Qualifier today at Churchill Park. #NZLSOL #OFCOQM 5-0 pic.twitter.com/rjrgQEviaT
— OFC Oceania Football (@OFCfootball) October 5, 2019

RESULTS AT A GLANCE:

September 21:
v Samoa won 6-1 (Ben WAINE 4, Logan ROGERSON, Myer BEVAN)

September 24:
v American Samoa won 12-0 (Clayton LEWIS 2, Logan ROGERSON, Ollie WHYTE, Myer BEVAN 5, Ben WAINE 2, Dylan DE JONG)

September 27:
v Solomon Islands won 4-2 (Clayton LEWIS, Myer BEVAN 2, Noah BILLINGSLEY)

October 2:
v Fiji won 6-1 (OG, Ben WAINE, Logan ROGERSON, Myer BEVAN 2, Callan ELLIOT)

October 5:
v Solomon Islands won 5-0 (Logan ROGERSON, Myer BEVAN 2, Ben WAINE, Billy JONES)

New Zealand U-23 qualify for Men's Olympic Games Football Tournament Tokyo 2020