Nz ‘wood in the eye the history of history

Chris Wood fired Nottingham Forest in the surprise of the UEFA Champions League competition, and now the striker wants to score the goals to help New Zealand at the FIFA World Cup.

New Zealand are strong favorites to qualify from the Oceania region next week and to reach the World Cup for the third time.

In 1982 and 2010, in six attempts, they did not win a game at the country’s two earlier appearances.

Photo: AFP

After Wood the side of the side and led over from the front, he told the local media yesterday that the current squad could finally bring a World Cup victory.

“That will be our goal when we are there to win a game and progress,” the 33-year-old told Radio New Zealand. “It is the mentality to prove it, and I think we can. The squad only gets bigger and better and changes to larger and better clubs. They prove all over the world that they are good enough and capable enough to play in the best leagues in the world.”

Wood enjoys the best season of his career, reaches 18 goals in the English Premier League and rubs his shoulders in the goals with Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland.

His heroic deeds contributed to driving the forest to third place, and if they stay there, the Champions League would guarantee this.

Other New Zealanders who play in Europe are Marko Stamenic at Olympiacos in Greece, Tyler Bindon near Reading and Matt Garbett with Nac Breda in the Netherlands.

The World Cup of the next year in the USA, Canada and Mexico has been expanded to 48 teams to ensure that a team from oceania gains automatic qualifications.

To seal their place, New Zealand will first have to hit Wellington on Friday on Friday on Monday next week before a decisive qualification game against New Caledonia or Tahiti.

“This team is probably one of the best that (we had) in history, but they have to prove that on the field as one of them division as one of them. To do a World Cup, the way to do this,” said Wood, who scored 41 goals in 80 games.