Soccer: Kiwis' chances strong for final 16

New Zealand still have a good chance of making the last 16 at the under-17 World Cup, despite losing 1-0 to the Czech Republic in Mexico yesterday.

With the upset 2-1 win by Uzbekistan over the United States in the day's earlier group D match, New Zealand and the US ended the second round locked at the top of the table with three points and a 4-2 goal differential.

With their first wins, the Czech Republic and Uzbekistan also ended the day on three points but with minus two differentials.

New Zealand meet the US and the Czechs play Uzbekistan in final concurrent group matches on Sunday (11am NZ time).

A win for the Young All Whites would guarantee their place in the last 16 while a draw would almost certainly be enough to get them through.

A string of outstanding second-half saves from Czech Republic goalkeeper Lukas Zima denied New Zealand at least a deserved point.

Outplayed in the first half and a goal behind after a cracking 28th-minute Lukas Julis effort, Aaron McFarland's Young All Whites hit back resolutely and could well have snatched at least a point, possibly all three, but for Zima.

The uncertainty and hesitancy, and the wayward passing which too easily surrendered possession in the opening 45 minutes gave way to a fluid, never-give-in second half in which first-round hat-trick hero Stephen Carmichael (twice) and Tim Payne, three times, put the lanky Zima under real pressure.

After winning their only corner of the first half after just four minutes and conceding five to their opponents, New Zealand forced five at various stages in the second half while giving up just two. The failure to convert any, and other set-play opportunities, cost the Young All Whites.

McFarland, while disappointed with the result, took plenty of positives from the effort against a team who drew with Romania, Germany and the Netherlands to win one of six European spots in Mexico.

"It's a sweet and sour feeling really," said McFarland. "It was disappointing to lose but ... how we play is also important. In the second half we took what we have been doing in training out on to the pitch."

That step up should have been enough to get a result.

From an early counterattack, Carmichael had his half-chance blocked. In the 57th minute Payne ran strongly into the penalty area and pulled the ball back for Carmichael but Zima somehow scrambled clear for a corner. Thirteen minutes later Payne turned and shot and was denied only by a fingertip Zima save.

With 10 minutes to play, substitute Harley Tahau picked out Payne but he was denied a shot when Zima raced out to save.

Within seconds Carmichael burst through and Zima again had to react quickly to clear for a corner and then, into stoppage time, Payne had a last attempt only to find Zima in the way as he cleared for another corner.

It was a solid effort from New Zealand with Scott Basalaj in goal, central defenders Luke Adams and Reece Lambert, right back Bill Tuiloma, Jesse Edge and Carmichael in midfield and Payne up front all showing out.