Soccer: Young All Whites aiming for Cup victory - coach

No one would dare suggest the Young All Whites will not mean business when they run on to the National Stadium for the last of the eight second-round matches at Fifa Under-17 World Cup in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, early tomorrow morning.

The New Zealand TAB has New Zealand at $7 to beat Nigeria ($1.08) - the longest odds of the 16 surviving teams - but coach Steve Cain is not fazed by that.

His sights are set firmly on winning in what would be the upset of the tournament.

"I gave them all a real dressing-down on Monday [after the 1-1 draw with Turkey which qualified them for the second phase] because at the end of the day we are not here to make up the numbers," said Cain. "We are here to win the tournament.

"No one is going to sit back on their laurels because we haven't won anything yet. If we lift the trophy, we'll say yeah, well done. But for now we are going into this match with 100 per cent focus aimed at making it into the quarter-finals."

Harsh words indeed, but it is that attitude and spirit which have got this team of underdogs to where they are now.

Cain, who inherited the team when Colin Tuaa headed to Samoa six months ago, has brought a hard-nosed attitude into the camp. Many believe that without his input the team would have struggled.

At times the Young All Whites - especially in the first half against fellow qualifiers Burkina Faso - have battled and been outplayed but no one could ever question their determination and resolve.

In winning through they conceded just a goal per game. Another of those fighting efforts tomorrow would surely faze the hosts who will be under tremendous pressure if the expected 60,000-strong capacity crowd turns up.

Nigerian coach John Obuh is well aware of the pressure his teenagers face.

"It's not just like any other game for us because we are now in the knockout rounds," said Obuh.