Posted November 06, 2025 23:27
· last edited November 06, 2025 23:40
Well done tiny New Caledonia! Amazing result really, especially considering for the last 12 months or so their country has been torn apart by civl unrest. They also kept Portugal to 1-1 at HT in their first game.
Elsewhere Fiji got thumped 7-0 by Belgium.
But it's all about NC. Will give their senior team a nice boost for their tough Intercontinental WC qualifying tourney next March. Upsets happen.
New Caledonia have held Japan to a scoreless draw at the FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup to keep alive their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the Qatar tournament.
The result is only the second time New Caledonia have registered a point at a FIFA event, repeating the feat of their 1-1 draw with Japan at the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Japan dominated proceedings throughout but struggled to find a way through goalkeeper Nicolas Kutran and the New Caledonian defence.
Makoto Himeno came close inside just the first five minutes for Japan, driving a direct free kick inches wide of the right post on his right foot. Himeno then missed another good chance not long after, poking the ball wide of the bottom-left corner after latching onto a cross to the back post.
That set the tone for the Young Samurai Blue, who conjured more than 35 shots throughout the game, but lacked a decisive touch in front of the goal.
New Caledonia’s goalkeeper Nicolas Kutran delivered a stellar performance between the sticks, denying Minato Yoshida with his first big save of the game.
The second half continued in the same vein, Kutran making himself big to parry away a close-range effort from Jelani Ren McGhee.
New Caledonia’s Jean Samuel Xele Canehmez (right) evades the challenge of Japan’s Kawamoto Daizen. Photo credit: FIFA via Getty Images.
Scorer of the goal in their first game against Portugal, Ezekiel Wamowe came closest to scoring again for New Caledonia, rattling the left post with a curling left-footed effort from long range.
Japan made changes but still couldn’t beat Kutran, who pulled off big saves to deny both Hirato Osada and Daigo Hirashima.
The young Samurai Blue finally thought they had broken the deadlock late in stoppage time when Simon Yu Mendy powered the ball into the top of the net.
It was disallowed for a foul on a New Caledonian defender in the build-up, and the OFC representatives survived another late penalty review to hold on for a share of the points.
The New Caledonia camp celebrated wildly at the final whistle, having achieved an historic result, and remain with a chance of progressing to the knockout stages should they beat Morocco in their final group stage match on Monday (NZT).
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Unknown editoredited November 06, 2025 23:40
Well done tiny New Caledonia! Amazing result really, especially considering for the last 12 months or so their country has been torn apart by civl unrest.
Elsewhere Fiji got thumped 7-0 by Belgium.
But it's all about NC. Will give their senior team a nice boost for their tough Intercontinental WC qualifying tourney next March. Upsets happen.
New Caledonia have held Japan to a scoreless draw at the FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup to keep alive their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the Qatar tournament.
The result is only the second time New Caledonia have registered a point at a FIFA event, repeating the feat of their 1-1 draw with Japan at the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Japan dominated proceedings throughout but struggled to find a way through goalkeeper Nicolas Kutran and the New Caledonian defence.
Makoto Himeno came close inside just the first five minutes for Japan, driving a direct free kick inches wide of the right post on his right foot. Himeno then missed another good chance not long after, poking the ball wide of the bottom-left corner after latching onto a cross to the back post.
That set the tone for the Young Samurai Blue, who conjured more than 35 shots throughout the game, but lacked a decisive touch in front of the goal.
New Caledonia’s goalkeeper Nicolas Kutran delivered a stellar performance between the sticks, denying Minato Yoshida with his first big save of the game.
The second half continued in the same vein, Kutran making himself big to parry away a close-range effort from Jelani Ren McGhee.
New Caledonia’s Jean Samuel Xele Canehmez (right) evades the challenge of Japan’s Kawamoto Daizen. Photo credit: FIFA via Getty Images.
Scorer of the goal in their first game against Portugal, Ezekiel Wamowe came closest to scoring again for New Caledonia, rattling the left post with a curling left-footed effort from long range.
Japan made changes but still couldn’t beat Kutran, who pulled off big saves to deny both Hirato Osada and Daigo Hirashima.
The young Samurai Blue finally thought they had broken the deadlock late in stoppage time when Simon Yu Mendy powered the ball into the top of the net.
It was disallowed for a foul on a New Caledonian defender in the build-up, and the OFC representatives survived another late penalty review to hold on for a share of the points.
The New Caledonia camp celebrated wildly at the final whistle, having achieved an historic result, and remain with a chance of progressing to the knockout stages should they beat Morocco in their final group stage match on Monday (NZT).
Unknown editoredited November 06, 2025 23:38
Well done tiny New Caledonia! Amazing result really.
Elsewhere Fiji got thumped 7-0 by Belgium.
But it's all about NC. Will give their senior team a boost for their tough Intercontinental WC qualifying tourney next March. Upsets happen.
New Caledonia have held Japan to a scoreless draw at the FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup to keep alive their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the Qatar tournament.
The result is only the second time New Caledonia have registered a point at a FIFA event, repeating the feat of their 1-1 draw with Japan at the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Japan dominated proceedings throughout but struggled to find a way through goalkeeper Nicolas Kutran and the New Caledonian defence.
Makoto Himeno came close inside just the first five minutes for Japan, driving a direct free kick inches wide of the right post on his right foot. Himeno then missed another good chance not long after, poking the ball wide of the bottom-left corner after latching onto a cross to the back post.
That set the tone for the Young Samurai Blue, who conjured more than 35 shots throughout the game, but lacked a decisive touch in front of the goal.
New Caledonia’s goalkeeper Nicolas Kutran delivered a stellar performance between the sticks, denying Minato Yoshida with his first big save of the game.
The second half continued in the same vein, Kutran making himself big to parry away a close-range effort from Jelani Ren McGhee.
New Caledonia’s Jean Samuel Xele Canehmez (right) evades the challenge of Japan’s Kawamoto Daizen. Photo credit: FIFA via Getty Images.
Scorer of the goal in their first game against Portugal, Ezekiel Wamowe came closest to scoring again for New Caledonia, rattling the left post with a curling left-footed effort from long range.
Japan made changes but still couldn’t beat Kutran, who pulled off big saves to deny both Hirato Osada and Daigo Hirashima.
The young Samurai Blue finally thought they had broken the deadlock late in stoppage time when Simon Yu Mendy powered the ball into the top of the net.
It was disallowed for a foul on a New Caledonian defender in the build-up, and the OFC representatives survived another late penalty review to hold on for a share of the points.
The New Caledonia camp celebrated wildly at the final whistle, having achieved an historic result, and remain with a chance of progressing to the knockout stages should they beat Morocco in their final group stage match on Monday (NZT).
Unknown editoredited November 06, 2025 23:33
Well done tiny New Caledonia! Amazing result really.
Elsewhere Fiji got thumped 7-0 by Belgium.
But it's all about NC. Will give their senior team a boost for their tough Intercontinental WC qualifying tourney next March.
New Caledonia have held Japan to a scoreless draw at the FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup to keep alive their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the Qatar tournament.
The result is only the second time New Caledonia have registered a point at a FIFA event, repeating the feat of their 1-1 draw with Japan at the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Japan dominated proceedings throughout but struggled to find a way through goalkeeper Nicolas Kutran and the New Caledonian defence.
Makoto Himeno came close inside just the first five minutes for Japan, driving a direct free kick inches wide of the right post on his right foot. Himeno then missed another good chance not long after, poking the ball wide of the bottom-left corner after latching onto a cross to the back post.
That set the tone for the Young Samurai Blue, who conjured more than 35 shots throughout the game, but lacked a decisive touch in front of the goal.
New Caledonia’s goalkeeper Nicolas Kutran delivered a stellar performance between the sticks, denying Minato Yoshida with his first big save of the game.
The second half continued in the same vein, Kutran making himself big to parry away a close-range effort from Jelani Ren McGhee.
New Caledonia’s Jean Samuel Xele Canehmez (right) evades the challenge of Japan’s Kawamoto Daizen. Photo credit: FIFA via Getty Images.
Scorer of the goal in their first game against Portugal, Ezekiel Wamowe came closest to scoring again for New Caledonia, rattling the left post with a curling left-footed effort from long range.
Japan made changes but still couldn’t beat Kutran, who pulled off big saves to deny both Hirato Osada and Daigo Hirashima.
The young Samurai Blue finally thought they had broken the deadlock late in stoppage time when Simon Yu Mendy powered the ball into the top of the net.
It was disallowed for a foul on a New Caledonian defender in the build-up, and the OFC representatives survived another late penalty review to hold on for a share of the points.
The New Caledonia camp celebrated wildly at the final whistle, having achieved an historic result, and remain with a chance of progressing to the knockout stages should they beat Morocco in their final group stage match on Monday (NZT).
Unknown editoredited November 06, 2025 23:32
Well done tiny New Caledonia! Amazing result really.
New Caledonia have held Japan to a scoreless draw at the FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup to keep alive their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the Qatar tournament.
The result is only the second time New Caledonia have registered a point at a FIFA event, repeating the feat of their 1-1 draw with Japan at the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Unknown editoredited November 06, 2025 23:28
Well done tiny New Caledonia! Amazing result really.
