New Zealand 3-0 India: Surman, McGarry, Wood give Bazeley winning send-off

New Zealand beat India 3-0 at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch on Sunday to complete a two-match sweep of their international friendly series and give departing coach Darren Bazeley a winning farewell. Finn Surman, James McGarry and captain Chris Wood scored in the first half, according to the All India Football Federation's official report.

Match facts

• Result: New Zealand 3-0 India (half-time 3-0)
• Competition: International friendly
• Date: Sunday 15 November 2026
• Venue: One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch
• Scorers: New Zealand - Surman 22', McGarry 40', Wood 43'
• India: Kaith (Tiwari 46'), Abhishek Singh (Bijoy Varghese 46'), Mehtab Singh, Mishra (Pramveer 46'), Thapa (Tomba Singh 59'), Manvir Singh (Hnamte 59'), Williams (Fanai 84'), Sanan (Suhail 59'), Roshan Singh (Lalhlansanga 75'), Gupta, Ashique Kuruniyan (Colaco 59')

How the match unfolded

Ryan Williams captained India for the first time, and head coach Khalid Jamil made five changes from Thursday's game, handing starts to Ashique Kuruniyan, Jay Gupta, Mehtab Singh, Mohammed Sanan and Roshan Singh Naorem, the AIFF said. India set up with a five-man defence and spent long spells pinned in their own half.

Vishal Kaith gathered an effort from Wood in the ninth minute, and India held out until the 22nd. Callum McCowatt swung in a corner from the left and Surman, who grew up in Christchurch according to RNZ, headed in from close range.

In the 40th minute Owen Parker-Price set up McGarry, who slotted home from the edge of the area for his first senior international goal. Three minutes later Jesse Randall and Matt Garbett combined down the right and Wood finished Randall's cross for his 47th goal for New Zealand, according to the NZ Herald. Kaith then punched away a Wood header from a McCowatt free-kick in the 44th minute.

Jamil made three changes at half-time, sending on Bijoy Varghese, Pramveer and goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari for his India debut. Tiwari saved from McCowatt in the 55th minute, and substitute Liston Colaco shot over from long range in the 81st. In the 86th minute Varghese cleared a header off the line after Lachlan Bayliss had cut the ball back, the AIFF reported, and New Zealand could not add to their half-time lead.

Bazeley's farewell

The game ended Bazeley's spell in charge. He took over in July 2023, according to New Zealand Football, and RNZ reported that NZF chose not to extend his contract after the All Whites failed to get out of the group stage at this year's World Cup.

"I love the team and it's come to an end," Bazeley told TVNZ. "We wanted to score more goals, but give credit to India, they defended deep."

The win followed New Zealand's 5-0 victory in Auckland on Thursday, when Randall scored twice and Wood and Bayliss were also on target after an early Varghese own goal, according to the AIFF. New Zealand Football said before the series that the Christchurch game would be the first international football match at One New Zealand Stadium.

For more from this international window, see Japan's 3-2 win over Brazil, Argentina 1-2 Uruguay and Colombia 1-0 Chile.

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