Being underdogs in their opening game worked for the Kiwis as they held favourites Turkey to a 1-1 draw in the Group B encounter played at the DY Patil Stadium on Friday evening.
New Zealand coach Danny Hay's speaks his mind. He doesn't mince words and does the straight talking. On the eve of his team's opener against Turkey in the FIFA U-17 World Cup, he had clearly labelled his opponents as favourites. He did not rule out a result though, but was confident enough to put up a better show.
Being underdogs in their opening game worked for the Kiwis as they held favourites Turkey to a 1-1 draw in the Group B encounter played at the DY Patil Stadium on Friday evening.
If it was Turkey striker Ahmed Kutucu who gave his team the lead into the game in the 18th minute, it was New Zealand skippers left-footer in the second half – 58th minute – that levelled the score and saved them from a defeat.
Sudden rains and thunderstorm welcomed the country's first FIFA World Cup. However, they could not dampen the spirits of few thousand fans who thronged the stadium to witness the clash.
And they were served with an exciting match between the unequals. The contest between the burly New Zealand and the skilful Turkey went on the expected lines with the latter dominating the game.
The Turkish had a few close in the first 10 minutes, the first in the fifth minute when Ahmed slammed past the right and fail to meet the target with the second coming two minutes later, Atalay Babacan shot it wide to the left.
Even as the Turkish continued their domination, they finally broke the deadlock in the 18th minute. A perfect cross from Kerem Kesgin following a corner saw Ahmed easily head Turkey home to a comfortable lead.
The dominance of Turkey continued throughout the first half, but they failed to capitalise on those chances while the Kiwis efforts were either blocked or they struggled to create clear cut chances.
The first half, however, ended in the favour of Turkey 1-0.
In the second, the story wasn't different. However, in the 58th minute the New Zeland skipper and medio Mata got an opportunity which he beautifully converted it to restore the parity.
Mata struck a left-footer from the centre of the box, leaving Turkey goalkeeper Berke Ozer, thanks to an regulation pass from mid-fielder Ellijah Just.
The equaliser balanced the equation with both teams getting into attacking mode to take the lead and almost equal number of chances.
However, none of the teams could convert any of the chances.
The Kiwis might have put up a contest against the stronger Turkey, but for them the game ended on a disappointing note as their key player Mata was yellow carded for the second time in the game for a foul which later coach Hay deemed unfair and 'shameful'.
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