By TERRY MADDAFORD
The New Zealand under-20 soccer team's 1-0 win over Fiji in New Caledonia on Wednesday was enough to clinch a place in the Oceania play-offs, and keep their World Championship hopes alive.
"It was a battle," national coach Ken Dugdale said yesterday.
"The Fijians were intent on getting the ball forward.
"While we did not play as well as we might have hoped, we defended well in difficult conditions."
The winning goal came almost 80 minutes into the game when substitute Wiremu Patrick gathered the ball from a throw-in and watched in delight as his shot took a slight deflection to beat the Fijian goalkeeper.
"We knew we had to win that game to be sure of getting through," Dugdale said.
"We came in cold and only had three days together before the first game, whereas the Fijians had been on tour in Singapore.
"We then had to play four games in seven days in conditions which were never easy. It was the Fijians' third game.
"The temperatures were down a bit for our last two games ... but it was still around 25 degrees. These kinds of tournaments certainly put the acid on you and show how well players can cope."
With four wins - over Tahiti, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands and Fiji - the Kenny Cresswell-coached side ensured maximum points and a first-up home game against the other section winner, almost certain to be the Australians.
The home game is likely to be at North Harbour Stadium on February 28.
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