The thing to remember about this entire Oceania Nations Cup is that the performances don’t really matter compared to the results. Just get the wins, matey. That’s all that really counts and given we’ve had a couple of horrific showings at these tournaments in the past decade or so, there’s no amount of damage that the All Whites could do by playing dull that compares in any way to the damage that’d be done if we screw this tourney up.

So keep that in mind when I say that after the extended training camps in NZ and Australia both, including those fabled practice games against local clubs in Oz, after all the talk throughout the Anthony Hudson era about promoting young players into the group and establishing a more attractive style of play… the All Whites lined up against Fiji with Rory Fallon partnering Chris Wood up front and a five man defence.

That was writing on the wall right there. New Zealand are not going to Port Moresby to elevate themselves into tiki taka territory, they’re just looking for a way to win and Hudson will be trusting that the stylistic things they’ve worked on within the larger squad will shine through against more vaunted opposition. I don’t mind seeing that sort of pragmatism from a coach, plenty have taken this stage for granted in the past.

It’s weird because there’s this reputation among the island teams that they’re really physical and combative, ready to slow the game down and be disruptive. But in reality, that’s the All Whites. And I know they’ve chosen to play that way deliberately but there will not be a single defender in this tournament that can match Wood or Fallon in the air, our set pieces are going to be crucial. Conditions are going to be a factor as well – every game at the ONC will be held at Sir John Guise Stadium which doesn’t sound too promising for the pitch come finals time but then while the pitch doesn’t exactly look like carpet, it looks plenty better than North Harbour Stadium. More likely it’s the heat and humidity that’ll limit the lads although even that is a clichéd excuse given that most of them will have played in this situation before (many of these players were in the U23 team that played at the Pacific Games last year – you know, the Eligibility Saga Tourney). Still, a slower pace is gonna be to the benefit of the All Whites all the same. It may not be the footy we wanna see them play but it’s the footy that’s going to provide the best chance for success. Judge the campaign by the ends not the means, in this case.

Having said that though, there were some exciting names in the starting eleven of the Fiji game. Stefan Marinovic is fast becoming NZ’s number one keeper with Glen Moss once again out and Jake Gleeson busy trying to make a career in the MLS. No problems there, he’s safer than a swim between the flags. Bill Tuiloma started in midfield which is great for a number of reasons following a difficult club season while Sam Brotherton continues to earn opportunities in this team. Along with Wood and Fallon, there was experience with Themi Tzimopoulos at the back and the Welly Nix were represented by Louis Fenton at right back – oddly enough NZ played Fiji and there were equal numbers of Phoenix players on each side with Roy Krishna starting on the other side.

And with all those fellas there were four debutants. Kip Colvey is the best of them, currently chugging away in his first year with the San Jose Earthquakes in the MLS. A tidy fullback who can play on either side, he might not need to be a superstar at the ONC but he won’t be caught out too often, look for him to become a regular starter in this side. Hudson’s a fan, too. There was also Luke Adams in the CB trio, he spent a little time with Derby County and the Wellington Phoenix in the past before finding a home with South Melbourne. Played through the grades and has been in the squad before. Add to them Niche Cache favourite Monty ‘Python’ Patterson as a skilful playmaker and with him in midfield Luka Prelevic. He’s a really interesting one as he was only called into the squad in the past week. The dude is easily recognisable for the long, curly locks but not too many kiwis will have been on a name-basis with him given he has risen through the ranks in Australia (playing youth grade for both Melbourne Victory and City), currently doing his thing for Pascoe Vale SC. Apparently he’s only lived a few years of his life in NZ but his mum is a kiwi and he has a silver fern tattooed on his foot so please no dramas there.

Umm, some of those profile pics could really do with updating. Kip Colvey looks 14 year old.

One other thing on the team, they’re only going to get better. Not only as they adapt and find a rhythm but more specifically as better players are integrated into things. Both Kosta Barbarouses and Marco Rojas had club games within the previous week to wrap those things up before they could join the squad. Obviously there was no reason to rush them in. Same goes for Michael Boxall and Jeremy Brockie who each scored in the cup final in South Africa on the weekend as their side, SuperSport United, triumphed 3-2 to win that trophy. They’re on their way to Papua New Guinea as we speak.

So to the game, it was an oddly streamlined formation and with that you’d often see the guys hunting in trios or quartets with entire vast regions of the pitch devoid of white jerseys. It wasn’t high energy pressing but they weren’t exactly sitting back either. Sort of Jurgen Klopp-ish, really, but a sleepy Klopp getting ready for bed. Slow-motion Kloppery. For about the first ten minutes very little happened, just a few set pieces that didn’t quite come off. Sam Brotherton made a strong tackle on Roy Krishna to avoid a bit of danger.

Woody was played in a couple minutes later but having got in behind the defence he lost it trying to cut back across when maybe a quick shot might’ve been better. And then the goal came. It always looks a bit weird when a central midfielder takes a throw in, especially a holding one, but Billy T can really hurl those things and he fired one into the box from the left sideline that was flicked on by Themi, smashed goalwards by Woody, fantastically saved by Simione Tamanisau but he couldn’t grab the second effort and instead just parried it to Themi’s feet. The big Greek slammed it in for his first international goal and boy did he love it.

Scrappy as hell but not as scrappy as the second when a Python cross was inexplicably chested by Waran Swamy at the back – just head it away son! – and while Fallon couldn’t quite get to it, he got close enough to where Alvin Singh’s clearance was thwacked right into him and it rebounded in for one of those rare goals where the scorer manages to get one into the net with his eyes closed and facing the other way.

41 minutes in and we were 2-0 up. Patterson had looked our most creative outlet as he drifted wide out of the midfield triangle and cut back in with pace and a bit of silky skill. He took on defenders and beat them. Unfortunately he rolled the hell outta his ankle under one challenge and it looked for sure like he wouldn’t be back. But he returned… and limped off again. Then there was a drinks break and despite the look of it, the Python was back and he’d play 66 minutes in the end. Just a flesh wound, so they say.

Pretty solid and deserving lead but Fiji always had a threat and his name was Roy Krishna. The Welly Nix striker had a few of his outlets cut off but when he did get the ball he was danger. Like striker wide on the left on the end of a long ball. Or anytime he found the space to run at the defence because if there was one glaring weakness that was exposed in this game it was the lack of pace at the back. Tzimopoulos in particular, man, there were a few occasions in the second half where he got away with just stepping in front of his marker to obstruct the run but wow that dude really runs on a treadmill. There was one time when Krishna absolutely burnt him, covering about ten metres for every one that Themi made.

Krishna had his hands on anything Fiji did in attack. It was his glorious ball through to Setareki Hughes that led to the penalty in injury time. A harsh call from the ref, though Brotherton was naïve in getting to tight to the dude anyway. Looked like a bit of a push too. Wood could easily have had a spottie a few minutes earlier, which he wasn’t chuffed about, so this whistle felt a little harsher with that context. Krishna buried the kick for a 2-1 half time score.

Not sure what was going on with that trick free kick after the break, getting the biggest guys in the side to set basketball screens on the wall so they could play it down the line. Rory Fallon was called for obstruction, I like the thinking outside the box but dunno what the point of this one was. It came after Woody was kicked in the face too, ouch.

Quick word of praise for the captain: Chris Wood looks a class above. It helps that his game isn’t hindered by the pump-it-long approach but when you compare what he can do to what Fallon can do, Wood engulfs him entirely. His hold up play is superb, he wins basically every header and while he’s always had a little more technique than he’s been given credit for, that’s really showing through these days as he’s become less awkward and more powerful. There were small things he did all game that were so good, like having the vision to spot a run in behind on the right as he holds up the ball with his back to goal. He’d score the penalty that put this game beyond doubt slightly after the hour mark for his 15th international goal and frankly if he hasn’t passed Vaughan Coveny’s record of 28 by the time he’s 30 I’ll be completely shocked. A good tournament here and he might do it next year.

The penalty came from a handball in the box, unfortunately by Krishna as he got in the way of a rocket shot from Fallon. Tui had chested down a second-attempt long ball and laid it back to him. Also, Wood’s spottie was terrible and barely snuck in under the keeper but, well… it’s not the worst he’s ever hit. On the whole though, he’s a decent spot kick taker and should be stepping up for every one that we earn.

With all that stuff about pragmatism and results in mind, it still would have been nice if the All Whites didn’t feel like they had to pump a long ball every three passes. You’re winning, guys. Knock it around at the back, keep possession for a while. There was a bit more of that after the third goal though it was probably more to do with Fiji giving up and settling for not making things worse – they still have goal difference to worry about too, gotta still get into that World Cup qualifying even if they don’t make the semis here (which, on the back of Roy Krishna, they very well might).

You know what’s funny? With all these long balls from the back, the All Whites probably wish they had Tommy Smith there, given he does that for a living at Mick McCarthy’s Ipswich.

Mike McGlinchey came on for Patterson after 66 mins, he also helped settle things into a slow decline towards the final whistle. Logan Rogerson appeared with 13 to play for Fallon and showed the odd glimpse of why he’s well-regarded at the Phoenix with a bit of pace in behind the defence. There was one quality run where he cut his marker and had a cross deflected off the post. Tommy Doyle also came on for Fenton (Colvey to RB, Doyle to LB) which provided more defensive cover there. I’d argue that was the fullback pairing that should’ve started.

A couple of nervy moments. One came from Brotherton misplaying Krishna again, only for Marinovic to save comfortably. At times Brotherton looks like Ryan Nelsen 2.0 and at others he is the raw 19 year old prospect that he is. That’s the weird thing about international footy like this, while his USA college games probably aren’t too far off the standard of this one, Roy Krishna will be unlike any player he’s ever played before. That’s tough, and he had a tough time of it. As did whoever the hell decided that Marinovic had handballed right at the end. He was drop kicking his clearances but he was clearly letting the ball go inside the area, bloody ridiculous. Anyway, Waran Swamy slipped as he tried to hit it so no harm no (direct) foul. 3-1 the final score and the All Whites pass their first test, not quite with flying colours but we’ll take it.

New Zealand 3-1 Fiji

(Tzimopoulos, Fallon, Wood (p) // Krishna (p))

All Whites Man of the Match: Chris Wood

Fijian Man of the Match: Roy Krishna

Undercover Brother: Monty Patterson

Encouragement Award: Sam Brotherton

Next up: All Whites vs Vanuatu, 6.00pm Tuesday (NZT)