Auckland, Nov 18 (IANS): Chris Wood continued his hot start to the season as New Zealand’s all-time top-scorer helped the All-Whites beat Samoa 8-0 in the World Cup Qualifiers at the Go Media Stadium on Monday.

New Zealand topped Group B of the Oceania World Cup Qualifiers with three wins in as many games. The side will play Fiji in the semifinals in March and will face either New Caledonia or Tahiti should they progress to the finals.

"It doesn't matter how they come or in what fashion, we just need to tick off wins. That's the results business that we're in at the moment to get to the World Cup. We've got a semi-final to go and we need to win that to go through the final. And then win that to go through to the World Cup. So we're looking forward to the challenge ahead," Wood was quoted saying by BBC Sport.

A win in the finals will secure direct qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup scheduled to be held in the United States of America, Mexico and Canada.

Alongside Wood, Callum McCowatt, Marko Stamenic, Francis de Vries, Elijah Just and Ben Waine were the goalscorers on the night. The 32-year old striker also scored a brace against Vanuatu on Friday during his side’s 8-1 win.

The Nottingham striker is one of the most in-form players in the English Premier League and is the league’s second highest goalscorer with 11 to his name so far. Only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, with 12 goals, has more goals.

Wood’s exploits have seen Nottingham Forest get off to a flying start in the 2024/25 season, with the side having won five games and claimed four draws in 11 games, which has seen Nuno Espirito Santo’s men sitting in fifth place.