NZ beats the heat to win a place in the Under-17 Football World Cup

NZ Football U-17 captain Dylan Gardiner back home in Taupō after playing a key role in their OFC U-17 Championship win. Photo / Dan Hutchinson

Taupō footballer Dylan Gardiner has captained the New Zealand Under-17 side to victory in the Oceania Football Confederation Championships, ensuring a place in the U-17 World Cup later this year.

The centre back captained the side in its 4-1 win over Fiji in the semifinal of the tournament, and then again in the nail-biting 1-0 final against New Caledonia on January 29.

The top two teams qualify for the Fifa U-17 World Cup in Peru later this year.

Gardiner was back home in Taupō briefly last week before returning to Hamilton, where he attends St Paul’s Collegiate and plays football for Hamilton Wanderers.

He has played overseas before, but the OFC Championship in Fiji was easily the biggest competition he had been involved in so far, and the experience was “awesome”.

“I’ve played in Melbourne, Sydney and Malaysia, but nothing as serious as this.”

He said the big crowds - especially in the final against Fiji - made the experience even more special.

His goal is to play professionally, so to be a standout player in the finals was huge.

New Zealand finished the final with just 10 players after a professional foul saw defender Luka Coveny sent from the field for a second yellow card.

A stunning last-minute save from goalkeeper Matthew Foord ensured the New Zealand side were crowned OFC U-17 Champions for the ninth time, New Zealand Football said in its report on the game.

“Buoyed by their numerical advantage, New Caledonia upped the pressure but continued to find Foord unflappable, while centre-back Dylan Gardiner was also putting in an inspired captain’s performance.

“Foord then proved the hero for New Zealand in the final seconds of the game, producing an incredible reflex save from Kyllian Wiako’s close-range header before tipping the resultant corner onto the bar as New Zealand held on.

“At the final whistle, New Caledonia’s players sank to their knees while New Zealand’s players erupted in joy at their ninth tournament victory, moving just one behind Australia’s long-standing record of 10,” the report said.

Gardiner said the heat in Suva meant players lost about 1.5 kilograms in body weight during the course of a game.

The team also got delayed on their return, with flooding in Auckland causing the closure of Auckland International Airport. They eventually arrived in Auckland after travelling via Brisbane and Christchurch.