Mexico qualify for 2014 World Cup finals

November 21, 2013 | 08:52

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Mexico qualified for their sixth successive World Cup on Wednesday with a 4-2 victory in the second leg of their intercontinental play-off against New Zealand, for a 9-3 aggregate win.

Craig Henderson (R) of New Zealand fights for the ball with Edwin Hernandez of Mexico during their World Cup qualifying football match at Westpac Stadium in Wellington. (AFP/Marty Melville)

WELLINGTON: Mexico qualified for their sixth successive World Cup on Wednesday with a 4-2 victory in the second leg of their intercontinental play-off against New Zealand, for a 9-3 aggregate win.

Santos forward Oribe Peralta again proved the All Whites' tormentor with a first-half hat-trick in Wellington, adding to the brace he scored in El Tri's 5-1 win in the first leg in Mexico City last week.

His goals, and a late effort from Carlos Pena, capped a roller-coaster qualification campaign for the Mexicans, who have now made 15 of the last 20 World Cups -- making them one of the most consistent teams in international football.

Mexico had vowed before Wednesday's game to avoid complacency in the return fixture with 79th-ranked New Zealand.

The world's 24th ranked team, regarded as a regional footballing powerhouse, had won only two of their 10 CONCACAF qualifiers, scoring a paltry seven goals and shedding three managers along the way.

AFP

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