Chris Wood, the Nottingham Forest striker, scored a hat-trick in New Zealand's impressive 7-0 victory against Fiji in their World Cup qualifier. After being substituted in the 60th minute, he celebrated with fans, leading to a yellow card for his actions. Despite this, he remains eligible for the upcoming Oceania qualifying final against New Caledonia, a match crucial for securing New Zealand's spot in the 2026 World Cup, their first appearance since 2010. Wood commented on the yellow card as an unfortunate consequence of simply wanting to engage with supporters.
Wood was substituted at the hour-mark after scoring his third goal, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd at Wellington. He went into the stands to mingle with supporters and on his return to the pitchside was shown a yellow card.
'If that's the rules, that's the rules,' Wood was quoted as saying by France 24. 'Just doing something nice and trying to sign for the fans.'
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