Under-20 New Zealand footballer Joel Stevens goes up against USA's Kellyn Perry-Acosta. Photo / Getty Images
Under-20 New Zealand footballer Joel Stevens goes up against USA's Kellyn Perry-Acosta. Photo / Getty Images
Junior All Whites coach Darren Bazeley told anybody that would listen during the build-up to the Fifa Under-20 World Cup that getting out of their group was going to be a tough ask.
Playing at home was seen as a key element for the New Zealanders, while the 24-team tournamenthas a generous format that sees the top two from every pool and four third-placed sides move on to the round of 16.
But after opening with a promising 0-all draw with Ukraine in Albany on Saturday, Bazeley's boys were brought back to earth as they were hammered 4-0 by the US at the same venue last night.
They've since arrived in Wellington as their campaign quickly moves towards a must-win Group A showdown with Myanmar in the capital on Friday night.
"We said all along that it was going to be a massive challenge and we've been trying to tell people how bigger challenge it would be and hopefully people are starting to understand that," Bazeley said.
"We are the home nation and that does give us an extra bit ... but it's massively hard." Simple mistakes proved costly for the Junior All Whites against the US but more pressing is the fact they have been kept scoreless in their first two games.
Four tournament points is often enough for a team to go through as one of the four 'lucky losers' who don't finish in the top two of their group, which means it all comes down to 90 minutes against Myanmar who have lost both of their matches at the event.
"We need to score goals and we need to get three points in this last game and it's still there for us," Bazeley said. "We said that we wanted to win games and we wanted to get out of our group; now Friday night's a great opportunity to do both."
Bazeley said the side had no injury concerns but he didn't rule out personnel changes as they searched for the right mix on the field.
"All I know is on Friday night, we need a team that's full of energy, full of running and full of enthusiasm to go and make the country proud."
No New Zealand team has ever won a match at an Under-20 World Cup with eight draws and three losses to show from their previous 11 contests, including the ongoing event.
History beckons for the junior side and captain Bill Tuiloma, who said he would be fit to play on Friday despite nursing a groin injury during the match against the US, believed his team had the ability to compete at the tournament.
"These players, they come from professional environments and the tempo of their football is a lot higher than New Zealand football," Tuiloma said.
"So we've got to move the ball quicker and hopefully finish off goals as well."
