Burnley striker Chris Wood hits winner for Oly Whites

Clarets striker Chris Wood scored the only goal as New Zealand’s Oly Whites got their Olympic campaign up and running.

By Chris Boden

Published 22nd Jul 2021, 11:02 BST

Wood turned the ball home 20 minutes from time against group favourites South Korea at the Ibaraki Kashima Stadium, only to be initially flagged off-side.

However, the decision was overturned, and Wood’s goal stood, which proved to be the winner on the opening day of the men’s football completion in Japan.

Indeed, it was New Zealand’s first-ever win at the Olympic Games.

Wood is one of three overage players in the Under 23 side, playing his second Olympics, after featuring in 2012, where he scored in a 1-1 draw with Egypt at Old Trafford, in a game where Mo Salah was also on target with the equaliser.

New Zealand take on Honduras on Sunday, before facing Romania on Wednesday.

If they advance to the quarter-finals, with the top two progressing, they would play again on July 31st.