AUCKLAND – The New Zealand U-17 football team beat Thai high school Suankularb Wittayalai 2-0 in their final Sanix Cup group match in Japan on Friday evening but Japan’s shock 0-9 loss to their Korean high school opposition has sent the Young All Whites into the bottom half of the draw.
Second half goals from substitutes Cameron Lindsay and Josh Morrison guided New Zealand to a victory that leapfrogged the Kiwis over a Thai team that began the day in second place.
However, Jang Yoon High School’s eyebrow-raising thrashing of an already-qualified Japan earned them a spot in the main draw, one point ahead of New Zealand.
The result was even more surprising given the pool matches were played over just 70 minutes.
New Zealand now meet Japanese high school Saga Higashi on Saturday in the Global Arena Cup– essentially a plate competition to decide ninth through 16th place in the Sanix Cup – and while New Zealand coach Steve Cain reiterated the main aim of the tour was to find the team’s best combinations, he did reveal a tour-closing friendly against Japan on Monday had extra spice.
“There’s a real focus now on the last game against Japan as we think we can turn the opening 1-2 loss around, and we’ve got extra motivation to do so now, don’t we?”
In their second pool game late on Thursday, New Zealand drew 1-1 with the Koreans with help from Andrew Bevin’s 48th minute equaliser, but lost a penalty shootout designed to assign bonus points. Jang Yoon earned 2.5 points from that game while New Zealand took away 1.5. Four points are awarded for an outright win.
On Thursday the New Zealand U-17 team lost 1-2 to hosts Japan in Fukuoka.
In that match Glasgow Rangers academy utility Andrew Milne headed New Zealand in front four minutes after halftime in the 70 minute match, but Japan were level just a minute later, and found a winner from a corner in the 52nd minute.
New Zealand rallied late but were unable to find an equaliser.
The close result against a match-hardened Japanese side could be seen as a promising start to New Zealand’s preparations to the OFC U-17 Championship to be held in Auckland in April.
2009 Sanix Cup
Fukuoka, Japan
March 19 2009
New Zealand U-17M 1 (Andrew Bevin 48) Jang Yoon High School (Korea) 1. Jang Yoon win 5-4 on penalties
Halftime: 0-0
New Zealand: Alex Carr (GK), Gordon Murie, Fergus Neil (Thomas Spragg 48), Adam Thomas, Cameron Lindsay (Ross Haviland 61), Zane Sole, Andrew Milne, Stephen Kibby, Nicolai Molijn, Andrew Bevin, Ashton Pett.
Substitutes not used: Coey Turipa (RGK), Josh Morrison, Dylan Windust, Jamie Doris, Michael Built, Ernesto Lopez, Tim Pilkington.
Coach: Steve Cain
Cautions: Andrew Bevin 22
March 20 2009
New Zealand U-17M 2 (Cameron Lindsay 47, Josh Morrison 50) Suankularb Wittayalai High School (Thailand) 0
New Zealand: Coey Turipa (GK), Gordon Murie, Adam Thomas, Stephen Kibby (Dylan Windust 36), Ross Haviland (Cameron Lindsay 39), Zane Sole (Andrew Milne 30), Michael Built, Andrew Bevin (Josh Morrison 52), Tim Pilkington (Ernesto Lopez 36), Nicolai Molijn, Ashton Pett.
Substitutes not used: Alex Carr (RGK), Fergus Neil, Thomas Spragg, Jamie Doris.
Coach: Steve Cain
Cautions: Adam Thomas 50, Dylan Windust 69
Red Cards: Cameron Lindsay 63
Story courtesy of NZF Media
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