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2007
2007
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T
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NZ
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NC
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F
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Pts
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Pos
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Fiji
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0-0
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1-3
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1-1
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2
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3rd
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New Caledonia
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0-0
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0-4
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|
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2
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4th
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New Zealand
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2-1
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|
|
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9
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1st
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Tahiti
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|
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|
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2
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2nd
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Junior All Whites Reach Third World Cup Finals
by Jeremy Ruane
Colin Tuaa's New Zealand Under-17 squad qualified for the FIFA U17 World Cup Finals in March, progressing to the August fiesta in the Korea Republic with the luxury of a game to spare.
The only team to win all three games at the four-team qualifying tournament in Papeete, they kicked off their campaign with a 3-1 triumph over Fiji. Cory Chettleburgh eased Kiwi nerves when netting just before half-time, while after Solomone Qetia's equaliser, Costa Barbarouses and Jacob Mathews struck to seal victory.
With New Caledonia having drawn their opening game with Tahiti, 0-0, and their second encounter with Fiji, 1-1, it meant New Zealand went into the clash with the host nation knowing that victory would book their place in Korea.
Mario Hoffman gave the Junior All Whites the ideal start, netting after five minutes, but Tahiti's Stephane Faatiarau levelled matters within thirteen minutes. It was left to Barbarouses to clinch victory for the Kiwi team he captains, his match-winning strike coming just after the hour mark.
With the pressure off, New Zealand turned on the style against New Caledonia in their final game, trouncing them 4-0. Barbarouses, the tournament's leading goalscorer, led the way with a hat-trick, his efforts supplemented by Jacob Mathews' stoppage time strike.
Parity was the outcome in the final fixture of the tournament, Tahiti and Fiji battling out a scoreless draw.
The Junior All Whites are one of sixteen nations to have qualified for the finals, which will feature twenty-four teams. Qualifying tournaments in Europe (five teams) and CONCACAF (three) have yet to be completed.
The qualifiers to date are: Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Ghana, Haiti, Honduras, Japan, Korea Republic (hosts), New Zealand, Nigeria, North Korea, Peru, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia.
The Junior All Whites' achievement is due reward for a campaign which kicked off with a six-match tour of America last July, and was followed by a South American sojourn which featured a win over Peru and a draw with Chile.
A three-match towelling of Tahiti on home turf prior to Christmas set them up for this tournament - now it's destination Korea for Tuaa and his charges. They become the third New Zealand U-17 team to qualify for the World Cup Finals in their age group, following in the footsteps of the 1997 (Egypt) and 1999 (New Zealand) squads.
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