New Zealand under-17 men's football coach Steve Cain has praised the fighting qualities of his side after rounding out group play unbeaten and becoming the first New Zealand team to reach the second round of a FIFA event.
New Zealand teams have been steady the improvers on the world stage since Australia's departure into the Asian confederation in 2006, with five different New Zealand teams -- the All Whites, Football Ferns, men's Olympic team, under-20 women and under-17 women -- notching at least one positive result at a FIFA tournament in 2008 or 2009.
But it is the Young All Whites who can lay claim to their own piece of football history by this morning (NZT) notching a 1-1 draw -- their third such result in succession -- against Group D winners Turkey to progress to the last 16 of the tournament.
The teenagers found themselves a goal down in their last two games, against Burkina Faso and the Turks, but fought back each time to finish level with more fancied opponents.
Cain was quick to heap praise on the resilience of his side, who needed a wonder strike from Jack Hobson-McVeigh in injury time today to book their passage in New Zealand's fourth under-17 World Cup campaign.
"I think (the comebacks) are just testament to the character in the team. Weve got a really determined group of young men who never know when they're beaten," Cain said.
"Even if give away a bit in terms of technical attributes compared to the opposition, when you've got that kind of mentality then you'll always back yourselves to stay in games." Turkey and Burkina Faso, who beat Costa Rica 4-1 in the group's other match on Sunday, earned automatic qualification while New Zealand will book a playoff spot as one of four best third-placed finishers regardless of what happens on the final day of group play tomorrow.
New Zealand will face either Switzerland or Nigeria in the next round.
Including this event, New Zealand have competed at 16 FIFA tournaments including the 1982 World Cup, two women's World Cups, two Olympic games, three Confederation Cups and eight age-group World Cups.
Eight of those have been since 2006.
