All Whites v India live updates: Darren Bazeley’s final game in charge

All Whites 5

India 0

A good day at the office for the All Whites.

New Zealand showed composed domination in Darren Bazeley’s penultimate fixture and his last in Auckland.

The All Whites had played India twice before this fixture at Go Media Stadium, drawing 0-0 in 1981 and coming out on top 2-1 in a 2018 Intercontinental Cup fixture.

This 5-0 result has shown how far the All Whites have improved even since that last game against their South Asian rivals.

It was a fast start for the All Whites, who went a goal up in the fifth minute thanks to a wicked Lochlan Bayliss shot forcing a save from the Indian goalkeeper, but a dangerous ball back in by Jesse Randall confused the defenders, who couldn’t clear their lines and saw the ball bobble into the back of the net.

Matt Garbett and Alex Rufer were given too much time in midfield and could easily pick out attacking threats, particularly out wide through Randall and Logan Rogerson.

The wingers would test the India goal throughout the first half but goalkeeper Vishal Kaith continued to keep them at bay, even using his throat to save a one-on-one with Randall.

The dam was destined to break and Randall finally scored in the 34th minute, this time off a simple pass out wide and a daring run at the Indian defence before a deflected shot hit the back of the net.

It started to become a game of territory for the All Whites, who were camped deep inside India’s half for the game’s opening period.

Randall didn’t need a deflection to take his shot into the net for his second goal as Francis De Vries, playing high up the pitch, put a tempting ball into the box that rebounded to the winger, who calmly fired it in.

New Zealand might have felt hard done by at the end of the first half for not having scored more, which might have been why Bazeley decided not to make any halftime substitutions while India made five.

The All Whites continued their pressure but had to wait until the 57th minute for captain Chris Wood to open the scoring in the second period.

Callan Elliot showed great fight to win the ball back out wide and hit a looping cross into the box. Wood was ready to pounce when the defender marking him slipped over and he powered a header past Kaith.

Substitutions injected energy into the All Whites, with Liam Gillion rattling the crossbar soon after his introduction, but it was starter Lachlan Bayliss who extended the lead with a volley from the edge of the box after several probing runs and a simple cross from Liam Gillion.

The All Whites were handed a harsh penalty late in the game for a handball off a sliding India defender, but Kaith stepped up with the heroics again by saving Bill Tuiloma’s spot kick.

India showed promise at times and kept fighting to defend their goal until the final whistle, but the All Whites proved too strong.

The teams will meet again in Christchurch on Sunday, November 15.

All Whites 5 (Bijoy Varghese OG 5; Jesse Randall 34, 43; Chris Wood 57; Lachlan Bayliss 74)

India 0

HT: 3-0