Mexico qualify for 2014 World Cup finals

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 Tris 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.