New Zealand have lost their second game at the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup™ 3-2 to Saudi Arabia at the Aspire Zone in Doha.
Twice the Junior All Whites showed some character to come from behind and level the game, but their efforts proved in vain as Thari Saeed struck late in stoppage time to win it for Saudi Arabia.
It’s the first time New Zealand have scored more than one goal at the tournament since 2017, but after an opening defeat to Mali, their chances of progressing in Qatar look bleak.
The Junior All Whites made the worst possible start, conceding inside the first 120 seconds in rather unfortunate circumstances. Abdulaziz Alfawaz’s delivery took a wicked deflection inside the box and deflected off the back of the head of Abdulrahman Sufyani to nestle inside the top-right corner of the net.
It was Saudi Arabia’s first goal at the tournament since winning the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 1989, but it brought to New Zealand to life in search of a response. Played in-behind the Saudi defence, Justin Cardozo pulled an effort wide of the left post from close range with the Kiwis first real chance.
Safyani should have made it two for Saudi Arabia when one-on-one with Toby Borgnis moments later though, only to blaze over the top.
New Zealand saw more of the ball in the first half, but couldn’t find a goal, Cardozo forcing Abdulrahman Alotaibi to tip away from the top-right corner, as Saudi Arabia took the lead into the half-time break.
Eventually the Junior All Whites found a way through ten minutes into the second half, Matias Nunez profiting from a deflection with a powerful left-footed shot from outside the box that dropped into the bottom-right corner.
New Zealand’s first goal of the tournament came to nothing though, as Saudi Arabia made a response of their own just three minutes later. Sabri Dahal raced in-behind the New Zealand defence, before calmly slotting the ball past Borgnis and into the bottom-left corner in the 58th minute to go back ahead.
Again New Zealand rallied, Luka Vicelich and Cardozo both missing decent chances, before substitute Jack Perniskie made it two goals apiece with a sumptuous back-heel flick into the bottom-left corner late in the 83rd minute.
Despite their resilience, Saudi Arabia struck once more to win it in the first minute of stoppage time, Thari Saaed picking out the bottom-left corner after getting behind Daniel Nelson in the New Zealand defence.
Late heartbreak makes it two defeats from two at the FIFA U-17 World Cup for New Zealand, and nothing other than three points in their final game with Austria on Wednesday (NZT) will keep their chances of progressing alive.
Saudi Arabia: 3 (Abdulrahman SUFYANI 2’, Sabri DAHAL 58’, Thari SAAED 90+1′)
New Zealand: 2 (Matias NUNEZ 55’, Jack PERNISKIE 83′)
HT: 1-0