Young All Whites Create NZ Football History

November 1st, 2009 | by: Craig | Comments Off

The Young All Whites have accomplished something no other NZ Football team have ever achived. Not only have they finished the group stage undefeated with 3 draws, but they have qualified for the second round of a FIFA World Cup – the first Kiwi side to ever venture out into the dizzy heights of knock-out football.

Trailing 1-0 to Turkey with only injury time left to play, the Junior All Whites world cup dream seemed to be fading fast. That was until this moment:

Midfielder Hobson-McVeigh’s 35m shot sent NZ through to the final 16, and a showdown with either Switzerland or tournament hosts Nigeria.

Regardless of who the Junior All Whites play in their next match, they will need to score more goals that the opposition – something they have not achieved yet in this tournament. Three games, three 1-All draws. Although it could have been worse, in all three games the Kiwis have been forced to weather sustained attacks from their opposition. Turkey had 22 shots to NZ’s 7, Burkina Faso dominated with 28 shots to 2 and Costa Rica took 22 to the Kiwis 9. When asked about the huge difference in shots taken between NZ and it’s opposition so far, coach Steven Cain was unconcerned:

“I’m not too surprised at that, in all the games here the opposition have fired in plenty of shots but they have been all over the place. I feel we have succeeded for two reasons. One, we have made very few mistakes and two, we have taken our chances when they have come.”

Whatever happens next, this side is already assured their place in NZ sporting folklore all thats left now is to win a couple of matches and pick up our trophy.