Chris Wood embarrassed away from Nottingham Forest
Chris Wood’s first World Cup warm-up game away from Nottingham Forest has ended in disaster as New Zealand were thumped 4-0 by Haiti.
Ruben Providence, Lenny Joseph, Frantzdy Pierrot and Duke Lacroix all scored in Florida as the All Whites were served a severe reality check.
Wood will lead his nation at only their second World Cup appearance in the last 40 years, with their only other in that period coming in 2010.
They will play England in a second friendly this week, before kicking off their tournament against Iran later this month.
Nottingham Forest’s talisman has only recently returned from injury, and he will hope both he and his teammates are ready for a huge occasion.
Chris Wood makes history
There has been a suspicion that Nottingham Forest could move on from Wood this summer, with his contract set to expire in 2027.
Vitor Pereira will likely be keen to give the striker one more year, however, given the fact that he scored 20 goals in the Premier League just last season.
The New Zealand international is yet to get back to himself since returning from injury, but he will continue to pose a danger in the penalty box.
The All Whites are relying on that danger ahead of the World Cup, but it did not come to their aid against Haiti.
The game should have been a momentous occasion for Wood, who was making his 89th appearance for his country – a record-breaking number.
With his cap against Haiti, the Nottingham Forest man overtakes Ivan Vicelich as the all-time leading appearance-maker, with 45 goals in that time.
Wood will regret that the day was marred by a hugely disappointing result, but his achievement stands regardless.
Nottingham Forest face decision time on strikers
Nottingham Forest have already been linked to several strikers ahead of this summer, and will surely have to let one go.
Lorenzo Lucca is already set to leave and will return to Napoli after an unsuccessful loan move.
There is certainty over Igor Jesus, too, who will undoubtedly stay. Question marks exist over both Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi, however.
Both strikers have had their injury issues in recent years and have their contracts set to expire next summer. Should Nottingham Forest want to bring in a new striker, one may well have to be sacrificed.