The New Zealand U17 women’s team has shocked the footballing world by defeating Japan on penalties to make the World Cup semifinals — the first time New Zealand has made the final four of a Fifa event.
Having earlier become the first team from New Zealand to make the quarterfinals of a World Cup and breaking several other records in the process, coach Leon Birnie and his charges were very much already in uncharted territory as they took to the field at the Estadio Alberto Suppici in Uruguay yesterday morning.
But they were not in any mood to bring their history-making exploits to an end, and instead continued the fairy-tale by holding highly-fancied Japan to a 1-1 draw and then finishing the job with a dramatic 4-3 win in the subsequent penalty shoot-out.
Goalkeeper and vice-captain Anna Leat was the heroine, pulling off a fine save in additional time to keep the scores level before also keeping out Japan’s first spot kick. She then stepped up herself to rifle home the winning penalty for one of the most memorable results in New Zealand football history.
"What a performance — these girls have come over here and game after game just defied the odds," Birnie said.
"We’d never got out of the group before and we created history by doing that. Then today is a special occasion — no New Zealand team has ever reached a semifinal and now we’ve done it. I’m so proud of the girls and it was an amazing performance," he added.
"Credit to Japan, they’re a quality side, so we’ve done so well to go out and compete with them and then for that last 30 minutes just to stay in there. And that was just pure grit and determination that we didn’t want to concede. Then to finish like that and actually get through was amazing."
New Zealand went into the match as underdogs against a Japan side with a proud record in this tournament, and which was yet to be defeated on its march to the quarterfinals.
New Zealand’s hard work on the training ground paid off in stunning style in a well-worked routine it had clearly spent hours perfecting when captain Aneka Mittendorff stepped over a low corner from Macey Fraser, allowing Amelia Abott to smash home from the edge of the area on 17 minutes.
But it was brought back down to earth in unfortunate fashion just past the half-hour mark. Leat made a great save before Hannah Mackay-Wright did well to block the follow up, but then stumbled and inadvertently forced the ball into her own net.
In the penalty shootout, Leat gave New Zealand the advantage with an outstanding save low to her right before Maya Hahn, Grace Wisnewski and Brown were all successful with their spot kicks. Japan had scuffed another of their attempts wide, so Jayda Stewart had the chance to win it for New Zealand, but skied her effort over the bar.
It was not to prove costly though as Leat took responsibility for the final penalty and showed composure to convert it and create history.
New Zealand will now take on Spain in the semifinals of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup on Thursday morning from 8am.
