It meant, however, players weren't always where teammates expected them to be when looking to lay off a pass. They lacked the sort of zip they showed in the recent games against Honduras and El Salvador but the humidity was clearly taking its toll.
Marco Rojas, who had looked so good in the last two games, was also dominated physically and was replaced by Chris Wood early in the second half to offer more physical presence and Rory Fallon also came on late for the same reason.
Fiji, in contrast, looked to break with pace and got the ball forward as quickly as they could. They caused a few nervous moments - Paston tipped a couple of very good efforts over the bar before he went off - and were the better side in the second spell as they chased an equaliser.
The All Whites won courtesy of a ninth-minute goal to captain Tommy Smith, his first international goal. Few would come much easier.
Leo Bertos fired in a free-kick which landed in front of goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau, who is better known in New Zealand for being denied entry into the country in 2007 because of his links to the military, who spilled the ball directly at Smith's feet.
Good chances also fell to Rojas, who blasted wide from inside the box, and Shane Smeltz who did so well to scoop the ball over a defender only to fire it over the crossbar.
The midfield combination of Michael McGlinchey and Chris Killen, who was playing the unfamiliar role of holding midfielder, were among New Zealand's best but there is a lot for Herbert to ponder.
Any World Cup win, however, is a good one.
New Zealand 1 (Tommy Smith 9) Fiji 0. HT: 1-0.
