New Zealand began their November international window with a resounding 5-0 victory over India at Auckland's Go Media Stadium on Thursday. The win extends their recent form to one win, one draw and one loss from their last three outings, bouncing back from a 2-1 defeat to Japan last month. The All Whites now look to build on this performance in their <a href="/fixtures">next fixture</a> against the same opponents.
Early advantage
The All Whites were gifted an early lead in the fifth minute when Indian defender Bijoy Varghese turned the ball into his own net. Jesse Randall then took centre stage, doubling the advantage in the 34th minute before adding a third just before half-time in the 43rd minute. The hosts continued to dominate after the break, with veteran striker Chris Wood finding the net in the 57th minute. Substitute Lachlan Bayliss completed the scoring in the 74th minute.
Indian resistance
India, captained by Anirudh Thapa for the first time since 2018, struggled to contain the New Zealand attack. Head coach Khalid Jamil made five changes at the interval, introducing several debutants including Jay Gupta and Muhammad Suhail. Goalkeeper Vishal Kaith, making his first national team appearance since June, was a busy figure. He made several key saves and denied Bill Tuiloma from the penalty spot in the 78th minute. "Making his first national team appearance since last June, Kaith also saved a second-half penalty from Bill Tuiloma in the 78th minute," Jamil confirmed after the match. The Indian coach also pointed to the team's recent <a href="/standings">league table</a> position in their own competitions as a factor in their need to experiment with new players.
The result provides a significant confidence boost ahead of the second and final friendly of this series. The teams meet again at Christchurch's One New Zealand Stadium on Sunday, 15 November. New Zealand will be aiming to secure back-to-back victories to conclude their 2026 home campaign on a high note. The team's performance was built on a solid defensive display, with coach Darren Bazeley able to select from a near-full <a href="/squad">squad</a> and a clean bill of health on the <a href="/injuries">injury list</a>.
Further reading: The Indian EYE
New Zealand's Marko Garbett provided the assist for Jesse Randall's opening goal in the 34th minute, the team confirmed on Saturday. The second goal for Lachlan Bayliss in the 75th minute was assisted by Lukas Gillion, the team added. The updated assist information was provided by the New Zealand team's official match data.
India head coach Khalid Jamil faced calls for his dismissal on Sunday following the 5-0 defeat. Jamil cited defensive errors and injuries for the result. "We made too many silly errors at the back, and they punished us every single time," Jamil told reporters after the match. The pressure on Jamil has intensified after a run of heavy friendly defeats.
On Monday, New Zealand confirmed that Callan Elliot provided the assist for Chris Wood's goal in the 57th minute. The team's official match data also credited Francis De Vries with the assist for Jesse Randall's second goal in the 43rd minute. The New Zealand team updated the assist information following a review of the match footage.
