That's quite an achievement for a NZ u-23 B team to beat the best senior team in Oceania.
With a team scraped together at the last minute who only had a few days in camp training
And a coach appointed two weeks before the tournament.
Makes Anthony Hudson's efforts coaching stronger sides look decidedly average against the same calibre of Pacific opponents in the last Pacific Games and in the OFC Nations Cup.
Or Herbert with the Horror in Honiara.
Buckingham is building a strong case for the AWs job. This U23 was basically a bunch of local amateur players, hurriedly put together.
However how full strength were the Island Nations senior sides? I honestly don't know.
But see that PNG were without Semmy & Browne. Fiji had 2 players out suspended for breaking team protocol (their problem).
The French speaking Island countries, that have a number of players in Europe (lower French tiers esp), would have had a few unavailable you'd think, not being a FIFA window and so close to Euro comps starting up again?
Still great effort in the Samoan mud by this NZ side.
Gives some comfort that when it matters in September, the U23s (with more players available) can clinch Olympic qualification.