MOSCOW – Fabio Capello oversaw his first win since taking over as Russia coach as Northern Ireland was beaten 2-0 in Moscow in their 2014 World Cup qualifying Group F opener Friday. Midfield duo Viktor Faizulin and Roman Shirokov, both of Russian champion Zenit St Petersburg, got the goals for the host at the Lokomotiv Stadium, with the latter netting from the penalty spot. Capello's starting line-up included six of the men who took to the field in Russia's ill-fated final group game of Euro 2012 against Greece, and one of those men, Alexander Kerzhakov, had their first chance. However, the striker's shot from just outside the area was saved by Northern Ireland goalkeeper Roy Carroll. Defender Gareth McAuley responded at the other end with a header from a corner which went narrowly wide as the midway point in the first half approached. But Russia was in control and got its reward half an hour in when Kerzhakov cut the ball back for Faizulin to score with a neat finish past an exposed Carroll. Carroll redeemed himself by saving from Shirokov shortly after, while Kerzhakov's header from the rebound missed the target. After the break, Michael O'Neill's Northern Ireland side pushed forward in search of the equalizer but it failed to seriously test goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev and eventually conceded a second inside the final 15 minutes. Kerzhakov had sounded a warning shot with a free-kick that crashed off the woodwork, before Shirokov converted a penalty after Craig Cathcart fouled substitute Alexander Kokorin inside the area. Russia's win was thoroughly deserved, but enthusiasm in Moscow for the start of the Capello era appeared rather thin on the ground judging by the vast swathes of empty seats inside the near-30,000 capacity stadium. Russia, which has not reached a World Cup finals since 2002, now travels to Israel Tuesday, while Northern Ireland will expect to collect its first points at home to Luxembourg. NZ beats New Caledonia New Zealand grabbed a valuable 2-0 away win over New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands beat Tahiti 2-0 at home Friday to open the third stage of Oceania qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Wellington. Shane Smeltz and Chris Wood scored for New Zealand, which avenged its shock loss to New Caledonia in the semifinals of the Oceania Nations Cup, the previous qualifying stage in the far-flung Pacific confederation. The four semifinalists from that tournament are contesting the third stage of qualifying which features home and away matches between all teams and which continues until March 2013. The winner of the tournament will then face the fifth-placed team from CONCACAF for a place in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Earlier, Henry Fa'arodo scored in the first half and Himson Teleda in the second as the Solomons thrilled a home crowd at Lawson Tama Stadium in the Pacific nation's capital Honiara. Fa'arodo struck in the 17th minute, driving home Benjamin Totori's cross from the right wing. Tahiti was reduced to 10 men just before halftime when Nicolas Vallar was sent off for a reckless tackle on Fa'arodo and Teleda sealed the win with his 59th-minute goal from Fa'arodo's pass. — Agencies
