U17's World Cup - Nigeria

Hopefully Nigeria so I can watch it on my day off 

How can you work that out? With games to play in groups E and F tomorrow, wacky results could see the AW finish as high as 2nd (out of the 4 best finishing 3rd place teams) or as low as 4th.

So surely we won't know where we are placed into that draw until after those games are played?

great attitude shown by our lads

well done lads!!!!!!!!!man that was a great goal!!!!

great day for kiwi football

Wasn't it just. Imagine coming on as keeper that late in a game and conceding almost right away. 

Read this to believe. Great result, best ever performance by a NZ team at a World Cup



Having won their two previous Group D matches, Turkey were already assured of first place in the section and could have coasted through their clash in Calabar against New Zealand. However, they played with resolute spirit and the Kiwis needed a late wonder strike from Jack Hobson-McVeigh to earn their third straight draw (1-1) at these Nigerian finals and book passage, against all odds, to the knockout rounds.

Even with four regular starters waiting in the wings, Turkey looked a far superior side in the early going. After just five minutes they carved out an opening via some lovely midfield interplay, but Engin Bekdemir could only hammer his shot high and wide from 20 yards. The move deserved better than the finish provided. Five minutes later, Ahmet Sari had the ball in the net, but the header was waved away for a foul on the Kiwi goalkeeper.

Just up the other end, captain Gordon Murie fired a warning by bullying the ball home from close range after a deflection. The strike, however, was also ruled out, this time for offside. The dream of keeping up with the Turks didn't last, though, as Bekdemir wriggled around his man and lobbed the keeper from 18 yards to open the scoring in the 17th minute.

The Kiwis were keen to keep themselves in the game, but their spirits must have sunk when Josh Morrison missed the chance of a lifetime in the 29th minute. Getting first to the ball after a goal-mouth scramble, he could only conspire to hit over from five yards out.  Minutes later, Sari saw a try cleared off the line as the action was getting fast and furious.

The hard-charging Kiwis seemed to go off the boil a bit at the start of the second half, just as the Turks began to up the tempo in search of a second goal.  Enes Baykan had a chance to score in the 60th minute, but he couldn't steer his close-range shot through a forest of legs.  Seconds later, a free-kick by the busy Bekdemir stung the palms of Coey Turipa in the New Zealand goal.

Just as it looked like it was all over for the tired Kiwis, Hobson-McVeigh fired a stunning goal to the top corner in stoppage time to, miraculously, send the islanders through. The Turks are into the round of sixteen as section winners, while Burkina Faso - who won their game in Enugu - finish second and New Zealand sneak through as one of the top third-place finishers. Costa Rica are officially out.


hepatitis2009-11-01 11:20:42

Superb result. Well done Hobbo mate. Another Birko goalscorer at the WC.

Next round i can hardly believe it!!!! Wonderful day for NZ Football.

Sounds a bit like GCU here!

Also on the Fifa site, we got

Goal of the day
New Zealand 1-1 Turkey, Jack Hobson-McVeigh 90

Making a little room for himself about 30 yards out, the Birkenhead United midfielder sized up his options before propelling the Kiwis into the last 16 with a spectacular right-footed drive that flew into the top right-hand corner of Omer Kahveci's goal. Substitute keeper Kahveci had only been on the pitch for a few seconds and had yet to even touch the ball.

Time for Sky to step up and ensure we get LIVE coverage of the Kiwi U17 vs whoever it is we play!

Haven't seen any of it over here (obviously) but terrific news. Sounds like we've been outplayed most of the time but to come out of a group with Turkey, Burkina Faso and Costa Rica in it is no mean feat. Great stuff.

Brilliant. That was a quality goal! Wonder if Ricki's watching these guys

Anyone got footage of the goal?

It should be on the highlights on the FIFA website but I can't get it working for me :(

What a goal, what a game, what a historic day what a month for NZ Football.

Damn, this is being replayed on TV One right now. Already at 55th minute.

So I missed our "great scoring opportunity" they were talking about.

So true. But tbh at the moment i don't care what the majority of NZers think about it. This is an historic day for NZ Football and i sure as hell ain't letting narrow minded opinions get me down about it.

Just saw the goal. What a strike!!! Probably one of the goals of the tournament.

Was that an artificial pitch? Ronaldoknow2009-11-01 16:19:28

Outstanding performance from the team, especially in the last game getting an equaliser in the heavy rain.

Great to see the Kiwis go through, unbeaten!!

Kia Kaha !!! Under 17s, Glory is yours...

You are fantastic !! history making  Kiwi legends!!! Hold your head high and savour the moment.  Looking forward to watching replay tonight
Full match replay on  Astro Sport Channel 816  @ 7.00 pm Malaysia Time..

Good luck in round of 16......

Footage of the goal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fzWksWxaBM (and WOW)

I read the news story about this morning with open-mouthed shock, congrats to the guys, amazing result.

Fantastic news!! Congrats boys, you make NZ proud. We are making history.

What a goal

It's a top story in the news on One (was previewed as one of the top three), so maybe this result will be more apreciated that we think.

Mentioned on TV3 that they went through unbeaten. Comment from Winton Rufer who said he would have been proud of such a goal.

What a vintage shot, that's got to be in Dobbo's Top 10 plays of the Week!!

Ricki had Tom Spragg down here during Phoenix pre-season this year for a run around.  Looked tidy playing in the Feenix midfield against local Wellington club opposition.

Good snap here (in a flash viewer so can't place it): http://www.fifa.com/newscentre/photo/photolist.html#1126413

Well done those lads.
Smithy2009-11-01 20:01:28

I watched the game this morning and knew we had a chance as long as we were only a goal down. Am sure I woke the neighbours when we got the equaliser. Good times for NZ football.

Well done Hammer Head. I have to admit that I had lost hope in the 80th minute. Well I had lost hope of finding a way to watch it live anyway. If I had succeeded then it would have been a very tense 11 minutes and I probably still wouldn't have held out much hope.

I am happy for the guys, They didnt play very well but getting into the 2nd round might be the thing needed to lift the team spirits.

New Zealand U17s > Aussie U17s

Any way we can send messages to the boys congratulating them Smithy? And wishing them luck on their march to glory!

brilliant goal, even if it was against a second string turkey side - to be in the next round is awesome.

The equalizer was a STUNNER. Maybe the most important goal in NZ Football history ??

Wouldn't jump the gun yet...2 weeks...

81/82

Terrible stuff from the U17s.  Their selfish play has seriously undermined the "One Shot for Glory", making it seem as though there's more than just the senior All Whites' historic qualification attempt going on for New Zealand football.