Wikipedia

2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC–OFC play-off)

The 2010 FIFA World Cup AFC–OFC qualification play-off was a two-legged home-and-away tie between the winners of the Oceania qualifying tournament, New Zealand, and the fifth-placed team from the Asian qualifying tournament, Bahrain.

2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
(AFC–OFC play-off)
Event2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
Bahrain New Zealand
Bahrain New Zealand
0 1
New Zealand won 1–0 on aggregate
First leg
Bahrain New Zealand
0 0
Date10 October 2009
VenueBahrain National Stadium, Riffa
RefereeViktor Kassai (Hungary)
WeatherClear
29 °C (84 °F)[1]
Second leg
New Zealand Bahrain
1 0
Date14 November 2009
VenueWestpac Stadium, Wellington
RefereeJorge Larrionda (Uruguay)
WeatherScattered clouds
13 °C (55 °F)[2]

The games were played on 10 October and 14 November 2009 in Riffa and Wellington, respectively. With New Zealand winning 1–0 on aggregate to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since the 1982 tournament.

It was the second consecutive FIFA World Cup play-off for Bahrain, which lost 2–1 on aggregate to Trinidad and Tobago in their 2006 play-off.

New Zealand took part in their first FIFA World Cup inter-confederation play-off after years of Australia[3] appearing in the inter-confederation play-offs of 1986 vs Scotland, 1994 (1st play-off vs Canada and 2nd play-off vs Argentina), 1998 vs Iran, 2002 vs Uruguay, and 2006 vs Uruguay, and Israel appearing in 1990 against Colombia.[4]

The draw for the order in which the two matches would be played was held on 2 June 2009 during the FIFA Congress. New Zealand won 1–0 on aggregate and a second consecutive appearance for an OFC team in the FIFA World Cup.

Venues

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Bahrain National Stadium (left) and Westpac Stadium, venues for the series

Background

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Bahrain Round New Zealand
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Australia 8 6 2 0 12 1 11 20
  Japan 8 4 3 1 11 6 5 15
  Bahrain 8 3 1 4 6 8 −2 10
  Qatar 8 1 3 4 5 14 −9 6
  Uzbekistan 8 1 1 6 5 10 −5 4
Final standings
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  New Zealand 6 5 0 1 14 5 9 15
  New Caledonia 6 2 2 2 12 10 2 8
  Fiji 6 2 1 3 8 11 −3 7
  Vanuatu 6 1 1 4 5 13 −8 4
Opponent Result Fifth round
(AFC) 		Opponent Result
  Saudi Arabia (H) 0–0 1st leg
  Saudi Arabia (A) 2–2 2nd leg

Match details

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First leg

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Bahrain  0–0  New Zealand
Report
Attendance: 37,000

Officials

Match rules

Second leg

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New Zealand  1–0  Bahrain
Fallon   45' Report
Attendance: 36,500

Officials

Match rules

  • 90 minutes
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level
  • 3 (of 7) substitutions permitted

Aftermath

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New Zealand qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Finals in South Africa and were drawn into Group F with defending champions Italy, Slovakia and Paraguay. After drawing 1–1 with Slovakia in their opening match, New Zealand drew 1–1 with Italy, and in their final match, they also drew 0–0 with Paraguay; meaning they finished third in the group on three points. New Zealand's three draws meant that they were the only unbeaten team at the 2010 World Cup.

After the play-off, Bahrain qualified for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. They went on to finish third in Group C; losing 2–1 to South Korea in their opening match, then beating India 5–2, before being eliminated from the competition after a 1–0 defeat to Australia.

References

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  1. ^ "History for Manama, Bahrain". wunderground.com. 10 October 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  2. ^ "History for Wellington, New Zealand". wunderground.com. 14 November 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  3. ^ Australia moved to the AFC in 2006 and qualified through to the FIFA World Cup through the AFC Qualifying Rounds from 2010.
  4. ^ Israel moved to UEFA in 1991.

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