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Turkey v. Junior All Whites, 31/10/09
Turkish Delight For Kiwis As They Reach Last Sixteen
by Jeremy Ruane
New Zealand has advanced to the knockout stages of a FIFA World Cup Finals for the first time in the country's history as a result of the Junior All Whites' dramatic 1-1 draw with Turkey in their final group fixture at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Finals in Calabar, Nigeria, on 31 October.
A stunning stoppage time strike from Jack Hobson-McVeigh lit up the U.J. Esuene Stadium and ensured New Zealand would progress to the last sixteen as one of the four best third-placed teams, their record being better than both Brazil and Holland at the conclusion of round-robin action at the Nigeria finals.
For a long time, however, it looked like the Junior All Whites would go the way of so many teams before them in going desperately close to reaching the next round of action, only to bow out in dramatic circumstances.
The Turks, who had already assured themselves of finishing top of the group, were all over the Kiwis like a rash for the bulk of this clash, even though it was New Zealand who fired the first shot in anger, Andrew Milne forcing a save from Sercan Hacioglu low by his left-hand post, after Josh Morrison and Cameron Lindsay had linked to good effect down the right in the tenth minute.
Within the next four minutes, both teams had had goals ruled out by the officials. Turkey's Ahmet Sari was denied a twelfth minute headed effort because he had fouled Kiwi 'keeper Coey Turipa in the process.
Two minutes later, the offside flag thwarted New Zealand captain Gordon Murie, after he had swooped on the rebound following Hacioglu's parried save of a Milne drive, the striker having been picked out by Hobson-McVeigh's corner to the far post.
When the net next bulged, this time it did count, and there was plenty of Turkish delight in evidence as a result. Captain Engin Bekdemir's rifled thirty yard drive took a wicked deflection off Adam Thomas and completely wrong-footed Turipa - 1-0 to the European title contenders.
The Junior All Whites sought a swift riposte, their hopes of progressing to the next round of the Junior World Cup Finals now requiring at least an equalising goal. Milne spurned a great chance when directing an unchallenged header - from a Hobson-McVeigh corner - across goal rather than at the target in the 22nd minute, while another set-piece opportunity on the half-hour saw New Zealand go closer still.
Hobson-McVeigh's corner picked out Murie, whose
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effort was hooked off the line by Enes Baykan, but only as far as Josh Morrison. From six yards out, the fullback applied a defender's finish - the ball sailed over the bar, much to Turkey's relief.
Two minutes later, it was the Turks who were leading the charge, Bekdemir and Gokay Isitan combining down the left, with the latter getting to the by-line before pulling the ball back into the path of Sari's well-timed run. Turipa blocked this shot with his legs, Murie completing the clearance in comprehensive fashion.
Turkey were having problems dealing with Hobson-McVeigh's set-piece repertoire, and another delivery, ten minutes before half-time, arced beyond Milne towards the far post. Michael Built was running in beyond the striker, and only just failed to make contact with the ball as he darted in behind Turkey's defence.
The Europeans finished the half in the ascendancy, with Bekdemir coming within inches of scoring a second goal just before the interval. Working a one-two from a corner, he dashed past two opponents into the penalty area before directing an angled fifteen yard drive inches past Turipa's right-hand post.
Turkey maintained the upper hand into the second spell, forcing New Zealand into a display which relied first and foremost on defensive obstinacy, rather than attacking endeavour.
Few and far between were the chances for the black-clad Kiwis to impress as a goal-hunting unit. Fewer still were the opportunities they afforded the Turks with regard to a clear sight on goal, and even then, there was still the towering figure of Turipa to be beaten - he's had a massive tournament, this lad.
Seconds after Ashton Pett had blocked a Baykan drive on the hour, an opportunity which arose thanks to Isitan careering past two opponents down the left, Turipa pulled off a superb fingertip save to deny Bekdemir, whose twenty-five yard drive dipped at the last second, and forced the 'keeper to tip the ball over the bar.
Turkish pressure continued, as did stoic Kiwi defending, particularly by Murie, who played through the pain barrier until he could play no more after picking up a thigh injury following a clash with a Turkish opponent.
Baykan sent a fifteen yarder fizzing narrowly over the bar fifteen minutes from time, as the Turks piled on the pressure in search of a winner - they certainly didn't look like conceding an equaliser, as the Junior All Whites' only real threats came from
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set-pieces.
Five minutes from time, Thomas blocked a Baykan effort on the edge of the penalty area, with the rebound falling to Bekdemir, whose final act of the match was to unleash a bullet bound for the far corner of the net … until Turipa flung himself full-length to his right to keep New Zealand in the Junior World Cup Finals - a brilliant save!
Two minutes from time, Nurettin Kayaoglu, Gokay Iravul and Ufuk Ozbek carved open the Kiwis' right flank, with the last-mentioned whipping in a wicked low cross-shot which fizzed across the face of goal and just beyond the far post, as well as the incoming figure of substitute Berkin Arslan. Had he got a touch …
Instead, New Zealand breathed again, although the game was now in stoppage time. Indeed, the Turks were so confident of victory that they had changed their goalkeepers in the interim, Hacioglu having been a spectator for the bulk of the second spell.
Omer Kahveci went twixt the sticks for the final minutes, but his hopes of keeping a clean sheet were to be denied him in dramatic fashion. Milne danced and jinked his way down the right past three opponents, only for the rock-like Sezer Ozmen - Turkey's shaven-headed defender - to head clear.
There appeared little danger when Hobson-McVeigh gathered the ball some twenty-five yards out from goal. Seconds later, the ball was arrowing into the top far corner of the net for one of the most memorable goals in New Zealand's footballing history.
The delighted scorer was engulfed by his colleagues, as his effort secured the point New Zealand needed for a third-placed finish - Burkina Faso thumped Costa Rica 4-1 in the other match in the group to leapfrog the Kiwis into second spot.
The Junior All Whites now take on either Switzerland or host nation Nigeria in the last sixteen of the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup Finals, where they have the chance to make further history for themselves and the country they're representing so well.
Turkey: Hacioglu (Kahveci, 90); Ozdamar, Ozmen, Kayaoglu; Corecki, Baykan, Bekdemir (Alkan, 86), Ozbek, Isitan (Arslan, 73); Iravul (booked, 55), Sari
New Zealand: Turipa; Morrison, Murie (Molijn, 82 (booked, 89)), Thomas, Pett; Doris (Pilkington, 62), Lindsay, Hobson-McVeigh; Built (Esteves, 53), Milne, Spragg
Referee: Martin Vazquez (Uruguay)
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