All Whites lose FIFA Series friendly 2-0 to Finland in Auckland

[p]Hosts [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-zealand/rLctHkpU/"]New Zealand[/a] were beaten 2-0 while World Cup debutants [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cape-verde/MocyWdm7/"]Cape Verde[/a] went down 4-2 and had a player sent off.[/p][p]New Zealand will face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/belgium/GbB957na/"]Belgium[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/iran/xrRx85iA/"]Iran[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/egypt/bejDn7NN/"]Egypt[/a] in the group phase this summer in North America.[/p][p]The All Whites were missing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nottingham/UsushcZr/"]Nottingham Forest[/a] striker Chris Wood, who is still returning from injury, and with it went much of their goal threat against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/finland/QuVpPpic/"]Finland[/a].[/p][p]The Finns did not qualify for the World Cup.[/p][p]Their captain Joel Pohjanpalo opened the scoring in the 25th minute, leaping highest at a corner to head home.[/p][embed guid="8f535197-85d9-490d-bc37-806bd35aa2d7" url="https://x.com/NZ_Football/status/2037442048215888354" social-type="twitter" /][p]Jaakko Oksanen added a second in the 85th minute, firing under goalkeeper Max Crocombe after a swift counter-attack.[/p][p]In the earlier match, Cape Verde were reduced to 10 men in a wild encounter with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chile/KUCG35cM/"]Chile[/a], who did not qualify for this summer's extravaganza.[/p][p]Cape Verde play [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/saudi-arabia/biSY8ox4/"]Saudi Arabia[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/uruguay/xMk44orG/"]Uruguay[/a] in their World Cup bow.[/p][p]Ben Brereton Diaz gave Chile a controversial lead in 17th minute, lashing home after the referee restarted play from a drop ball when the Cape Verde defence wasn't in place.[/p][p]Dailon Livramento struck back four minutes later for Cape Verde, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/benfica/zBkyuyRI/"]Benfica[/a]'s Sidny Cabral overlapping down the left wing before crossing across the face of goal, leaving an easy finish.[/p][p]Defender Diney Borges was red-carded on the stroke of halftime after the VAR flagged an inadvertent handball which was deemed to be preventing a goal scoring opportunity.[/p][p]Despite that it was Cape Verde who then took the lead, Cabral firing home off the inside post as the half came to a close.[/p][p]Chile equalised in bizarre circumstances in the 58th minute, goalkeeper Vozinha needlessly rushing out for Cape Verde, allowing Maximiliano Gutierrez to round him and fire home from 40 yards.[/p][p]Felipe Loyola and Gonzalo Tapia added further goals for Chile.[/p][embed guid="3e558839-7051-4278-9fa5-5c9e3444998b" url="https://x.com/Tom_Winch33/status/2037452491994870252" social-type="twitter" /]