The two sides fought out a goalless draw on Sunday in their final group match and ended with exactly the same record, each having posted a win, a draw and a loss from their three matches.
They also finished level on goal differential, meaning the drawing of lots was the only method that could be used to separate them, as per article 25.5 of the FIFA regulations.
OFC President and FIFA Vice-President David Chung, the acting Chairman of the Organising Committee for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, conducted the draw at tournament headquarters at the St. Regis Hotel in Mexico City.
Organising Committee member Ganesh Thapa from Nepal oversaw the draw.
The result was that USA finish in second and will go on to play Germany on June 30 in the Round of 16, while New Zealand come third and will try to keep their tournament hopes alive against Japan on June 29.
The FIFA criteria for ranking teams in groups at World Cup events is as follows:
a) greatest number of points obtained in all group matches
b) goal difference in all group matches
c) greatest number of goals scored in all group matches
If two or more teams are equal on the basis of the above three criteria, their rankings will be determined as follows:
d) greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned
e) goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned
f) greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned
g) drawing of lots by the FIFA Organising Committee