Kiwi side make history with third place
Bronze-medal playoff win over Canada represents best performance by any NZ team
New Zealand made history yesterday by claiming the bronze medal at the Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup after defeating Canada 2-1 in Montevideo.
Leon Birnie’s side became the first New Zealand national team to claim a medal at a Fifa tournament.
The only other Kiwi side to make the podium was Auckland City’s third placing at the 2014 Club World Cup.
New Zealand got off to a fantastic start yesterday by scoring twice in the opening 13 minutes through a Grace Wisnewski double.
Canada got within striking distance when Lara Kazandjian scored a stunning solo goal in the second half but New Zealand held on for a historic win.
Birnie said the bronze medal capped an incredible tournament for his young team.
“Who would have thought?” said Birnie. “We came over here and we had a dream to get out of the group. We made history by doing that, and then got into the semifinals and created more history, and now we have just got a bronze medal in a World Cup.
“How good are these players? Great performance. The first half, we were really good, and the second half was just pure determination and hanging in there to get that medal.”
Yesterday’s result meant New Zealand finished with four wins from six matches. They started by beating Finland 1-0 and Uruguay 2-1 to qualify for the knockout rounds with a game to spare.
That allowed Birnie to field a second-string side for their final group game, a 2-0 loss to Ghana.
That refreshed the first-choice starters for their quarter-final against Japan, won 4-3 on penalties.
Eventual champions Spain proved too strong in the semifinals, beating New Zealand 2-0. Spain beat Mexico 2-1 in yesterday’s final to win the World Cup for the first time, adding it to their European title.
In the five previous Fifa Women’s Under-17 World Cups, New Zealand had won just two and drawn one of their 15 games.
Birnie thanked everyone who had supported his side on their dream run in Uruguay.
“We have a few big thanks to make. To all the staff over here, the players, the families and friends here, we’ve had an amazing month. Everyone back home and the support from the football community and media, we appreciate it.”
Captain Aneka Mittendorff said it was a special moment for her team after an incredible tournament.
“It feels fantastic,” she said. “We did it, we came third. It is so surreal. We are going to celebrate this win all night long.”
The next generation of Football Ferns got off to a perfect start in the windy and fine conditions when Wisnewski scored the fastest goal in the tournament’s history.
New Zealand pressed high up the pitch and Canada tried to do too much deep in their own half. Maggie Jenkins won the ball and it fell for Wisnewski to tuck home a good finish at the near post in 16 seconds.
Wisnewski’s quick-fire goal broke the record of Nigeria’s Soo Adekwagh, who scored against South Korea in 22 seconds at the inaugural Under17 Women’s World Cup tournament in New Zealand in 2008.
There was more to come from the Oceania champions when Wisnewski doubled the lead in the 12th minute.
Amelia Abbott linked with Jenkins who put forward a great through-ball. Wisnewski showed excellent composure and hit a powerful shot past Canadian keeper Anna Karpenko.
The New Zealand team, who beat Canada 2-1 in the lead-up to the tournament, were off to the perfect start and in control of the bronzemedal playoff.
Canada came back into the match and with a strong wind at their back, dominated possession in the first half with 62 per cent of the ball. But that did not faze the Kiwi team, who had less than 50 per cent possession in all their matches and defended staunchly.
Leat, Player of the Match in the historic quarter-final win over Japan, again showed great composure when she came off her line to deny Canadian captain Jordyn Huitema. Leat had another superb match in
goal and New Zealand led 2-0 at the break.
The Kiwis had a chance to kill off the game early in the second half when an opportunity fell for Wisnewski in the 56th minute.
The 16-year-old from Hamilton Wanderers came within inches of securing her hat-trick when her leftfoot shot from close range ricocheted off the left post.
Soon after, Canada came back into the match when Kazandjian scored in spectacular fashion. The midfielder dragged the ball on to her favoured left foot and hammered home past Leat in goal.
That goal gave Canada huge confidence and they poured forward in the final 20 minutes. Captain Huitema, Caitlin Shaw and Jayde Riviere all had chances but the Kiwis — led by Hannah Mackay-Wright, Mittendorff and Leat in goal — kept them out.
History was made. A New Zealand national team were medallists at a Fifa tournament for the first time.