Hyundai A-League’s All Whites stars closer to WC

New Zealand’s Hyundai A-League stars are one step closer to next year’s FIFA World Cup after coming through their Oceania playoff against Solomon Islands on Tuesday.

Wellington Phoenix duo Andrew Durante and Tom Doyle, Melbourne Victory’s Kosta Barbarouses and Central Coast Mariners defender Storm Roux all started for the All Whites as they drew 2-2 in the tie’s second leg in Honiara.

The result was enough to send the side through to the final playoff round 8-3 on aggregate.

The All Whites will take on the fifth-placed nation from South America over two legs in early November in an intercontinental play-off.

The winner of that tie earns a spot at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

It is the third time in succession that New Zealand will feature in the play-off having defeated Bahrain to reach South Africa 2010, before losing against Mexico four years ago.