Posted June 04, 2022 23:34
· last edited June 04, 2022 23:36
7 years ago today, New Zealand U20s played debutants Myanmar U20s in front of 15,000 in Wellington in the third group match of the 2015 U20 World Cup. Having suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to the United States a few days earlier, a big result was the minimum to ensure a chance of qualification into the Round of 16 for the first time. After such a defeat, it was unsurprising that Bazeley made several changes, bringing in Tzanev, Messenger, Hudson-Wihongi, Rufer and Patterson for Sail, Edge, Mitchell, Ridenton and Stevens.
After going behind to a really nice goal, and Myanmar crashing a shot off the woodwork, it looked like more of the same. However, Noah Billingsley finished a nice ball from Wynne from close range, scoring their first goal after 220 minutes. That goal, and also probably half-time talk, was the catalyst for a big second half, with Patterson tapping in a nice move from Lewis, Rufer and Billingsley from close range, followed by Stevens adding a third when he dispatched Billingsley's cut back to the penalty spot. When Brotherton powered home a header from a Lewis corner, progression was all but assured, and a fifth was added late when Lewis tapped in a Wynne cross that was inexplicably missed by the keeper.
The 5-1 win was a record for a men's New Zealand team at a FIFA tournament, surpassing the 4-1 win by the U17s vs Uzbekistan in 2011, though it has since been surpassed itself by the 2019 U20s 5-0 win vs Honduras. It also meant that the team had 4 points, 5 goals and a neutral goal difference, putting them third in the group, but with the strongest placing of the 6 teams to finish third in their groups, ensuring progression to the Round of 16 to face Portugal.
The lineup was: 12. Nik Tzanev 3. Deklan Wynne 4. Sam Brotherton 6. Bill Tuiloma (c) 8. Moses Dyer 9. Alex Rufer 10. Clayton Lewis 13. Brock Messenger 15. Monty Patterson 16. Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi 20. Noah Billingsley
Substitutes: ('68) 17. Andrew Blake for Patterson ('77) 7. Joel Stevens for Messenger ('84) 18. Andre de Jong for Billingsley
Previous versions
1 version
Unknown editoredited June 04, 2022 23:36
7 years ago today, New Zealand U20s played debutants Myanmar U20s in front of 15,000 in Wellington in the third group match of the 2015 U20 World Cup. Having suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to the United States a few days earlier, a big result was the minimum to ensure a chance of qualification into the Round of 16 for the first time. After such a defeat, it was unsurprising that Bazeley made several changes, bringing in Tzanev, Messenger, Hudson-Wihongi, Rufer and Patterson for Sail, Edge, Mitchell, Ridenton and Stevens.
After going behind to a really nice goal, and Myanmar crashing a shot off the woodwork, it looked like more of the same. However, Noah Billingsley finished a nice ball from Wynne from close range, scoring their first goal after 220 minutes. That goal, and also probably half-time talk, was the catalyst for a big second half, with Patterson tapping in a nice move from Lewis, Rufer and Billingsley from close range, followed by Stevens adding a third when he dispatched Billingsley's cut back to the penalty spot. When Brotherton powered home a header from a Lewis corner, progression was all but assured, and a fifth was added late when Lewis tapped in a Wynne cross that was inexplicably missed by the keeper.
The 5-1 win was a record for a men's New Zealand team at a FIFA tournament, surpassing the 4-1 win by the U17s vs Uzbekistan in 2011, though it has since been surpassed itself by the 2019 U20s 5-0 win vs Honduras. It also meant that the team had 4 points, 5 goals and a neutral goal difference, putting them third in the group, but with the strongest placing of the 6 teams to finish third in their groups, ensuring progression to the Round of 16 to face Portugal.
The lineup was: 12. Nik Tzanev 3. Deklan Wynne 4. Sam Brotherton 6. Bill Tuiloma (c) 8. Moses Dyer 9. Alex Rufer 10. Clayton Lewis 13. Brock Messenger 15. Monty Patterson 16. Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi 20. Noah Billingsley
Substitutes: ('68) 17. Andrew Blake for Patterson ('77) 7. Joel Stevens for Messenger ('84) 18. Andre de Jong for Billingsley