New Zealand held a 2-1 halftime lead thanks to goals from Clayton Lewis and Alex Rufer, but the New Zealand side were run down thanks to second period strikes three minutes apart from Alusine Fofanah and George Blackwood.
New Zealand opened the scoring in the 28th minute, All Whites fullback Deklan Wynne collecting possession in midfield and running 40 yards to the edge of the Australian area where he squared for Lewis to fire in sharply out of the reach of Australian ‘keeper Thomas Glover.
But the visitors were level just three minutes later, a neat move unlocking the New Zealand back four and Riley Woodcock finished well from the cutback on the byline for 1-1.
Paul Okon’s Australia continued to edge possession after their equaliser and New Zealand survived several close calls as a 38th minute header rattled Zac Speedy’s crossbar after a corner before the New Zealand ‘keeper did well to smother an Australian shot from close range.
But it was the home side who led at the break, their work out of possession again proving fruitful, Rufer working hard to chase down an under hit back pass just ahead of Glover and his re-direct had just enough on it to roll across the goal line before it was hooked back by a recovering Australian defender.
New Zealand began the second half with some effective work without the ball earning repeated corners and pressure and Rufer saw two chances come and go, including a well-struck shot which arrowed inches wide of Glover’s left-hand upright.
The home side paid for those misses as first Fofanah on the counter attack and then Blackwood scored inside a three minute period on the hour mark.
But New Zealand continued to threaten at the other end and extended periods of pressure went unrewarded with Stuart Holthusen’s redirect of a miss-hit shot almost earning a draw in stoppage time but for the intervention of Glover.
New Zealand Men’s U-20 coach Darren Bazeley said despite scoring twice in the first half, he felt the second period was his team’s best of the game.
“Funnily enough I thought we were actually better in the second half than the first,” Bazeley said.
“In the first half we really struggled to get to grips with Australia and some of their individual players and their possession.”
“When we were in possession we weren’t able to calm ourselves down and compose ourselves in possession and we gave it away too quickly.
“We talked about it half time and in the second half I thought our possession was better and we were able to create some chances.”
Bazeley said the match has thrown up a few areas that need to be tidied up as the FIFA U-20 World Cup opener against Ukraine on May 30 draws ever closer.
“I thought a couple of their goals were a bit soft where we didn’t deal with counter attacks and players running at as with pace – which is an issue.
“We’re going to come up against some very good players with pace and we need to be able to deal with that.”
“It’s not a pass mark, there are definitely a lot of work-ons and I think there is still a lot of work to do.”
The Five Nations Series continues on Monday with Qatar facing Ghana at QBE Stadium at 1pm.
U-20 Five Nations Series
Sunday 3 May
New Zealand 2-3 Australia (half: 2-1)
NZL: Clayton Lewis 28’, Alex Rufer 40’
AUS: Riley Woodcock 31’, Alusine Fofanah 58’, George Blackwood 63’
New Zealand: 1. Zac Speedy (GK – 12. Damian Hirst 46’), 2. Brock Messenger, 3. Deklan Wynne, 4. Moses Dyer, 5. Adam Mitchell, 6. Sam Brotherton, 7. Andrew Blake (19. Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi 78’), 8. Matthew Ridenton (15. Daniel Bowkett 70’), 9. Alex Rufer (21. Stuart Holthusen 70’), 10. Clayton Lewis (14. Andre de Jong 78’), 11. Monty Patterson (17. Luka Prelevic 46’)
Substitutes not used: 13. Judd Baker, 16. Birhanu Taye, 18. Jesse Edge, 20. Tamupiwa Dimairo
Coach: Darren Bazeley
For more on New Zealand football visit www.nzfootball.co.nz.

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