Soccer: Young All Whites decisively outclassed

Luke Adams. Photo / Richard Robinson

The dream of a best-ever showing at a Fifa World Cup quickly turned into a nightmare in Monterrey yesterday as the Young All Whites slumped to a 6-0 drubbing at the hands of the Japanese.

New Zealand went into the round of 16 clash in 30C-plus heat at the Estadio Universitario with high hopes of doing better than the class of 2009 who were beaten 5-0 by hosts Nigeria at the same stage.

In the end they fared worse, conceding six goals in 60 minutes.

Defensive uncertainty was only part of the problem for Luke Adams and his team. They were never a factor in the midfield battle, that lack of any go-forward ball starving lone striker Tim Payne of any even half chances. Japan will play Brazil in a quarter-final.

The first 10 or so minutes were reasonably even but the Young All Whites were outclassed from the time newcomer Kip Colvey was dispossessed by Hidike Ihige, who dribbled deep before unleashing a dipping ball which, from the acutest of angles, dropped on to the far post and in.

Two minutes later the New Zealand defence was caught square as the ball was delivered to Ihige who simply tapped home his second.

By halftime it was 4-0, with the Japanese at times seemingly with two or three extra players on the park such was their domination.

It was more of the same in the second half with Japan calling the shots and New Zealand bereft of answers.

Any ball the Young All Whites did get was too often aimlessly booted away to hand possession back to their opponents who in the end enjoyed a 60-40 share of the ball from which they in turn created 26 scoring attempts - to New Zealand's four - and claiming seven corners to two.

The frustration crept in with Adams, who had a game he will happily forget, being booked for kicking the ball away when Japan won a corner.

Aaron McFarland can take some satisfaction in steering his team to the last 16 but again the inability to take that next step was exposed and left the players with more than a little to reflect on as they consider their international futures.

FULL TIME SCORE

Japan 6

New Zealand 0