The opening match from the under 17 World Cup, unusually being held in India.
From Mumbai, New Zealand & Turkey is not exactly a match of traditional football power teams.
Nigeria had won this competition over the last two times it was held and yet had not qualified.
Not a pleasant evening with heavy rain from time to time and the pitch actually becoming quite sticky.
The match was held at the slightly odd looking DY Patil stadium, these are exactly the types of unusual events that I love to see.
I'm not a fan of International football at all, usually so boring and verging on the tedious.
This match turned out to be a breath of fresh air. Lively from the start with both teams playing with a youthful, free abandonment.
Turkey had the first chance on 7 minutes which was saved at the near post.
New Zealand screwed one wide on on 11 minutes after a cut back from the dead ball line.
The opening goal came for Turkey on 18 minutes as a corner from the right was met by a powerful header from 20 yards. 1-0 was the halftime score.
New Zealand came a lot more into it after the break and were definitely the stronger second half team.
After Turkey's keeper made a point blank save on 50 minutes, New Zealand had a penalty shout turned down shortly after for a trip, looked like a penalty to me.
The equaliser came on 57 minutes. A quick free kick 25 yards out slipped a man in and from just inside the area, it was slotted under the keeper.
As with all good football matches, a dog got loose and had to be chased down on the pitch.
Young Ben Mata, the New Zealand centre forward, gave a superb performance, leading the line, holding it up and terrorising defenders until he was sent off seconds from the end after a second yellowcard for an inoculous leading jump with the elbow.
New Zealand hit the post in the 83rd minute, but a draw was probably a fair result in a highly entertaining contest.
F-T: New Zealand 1 Turkey 1
From Mumbai, New Zealand & Turkey is not exactly a match of traditional football power teams.
Nigeria had won this competition over the last two times it was held and yet had not qualified.
Not a pleasant evening with heavy rain from time to time and the pitch actually becoming quite sticky.
The match was held at the slightly odd looking DY Patil stadium, these are exactly the types of unusual events that I love to see.
This match turned out to be a breath of fresh air. Lively from the start with both teams playing with a youthful, free abandonment.
Turkey had the first chance on 7 minutes which was saved at the near post.
New Zealand screwed one wide on on 11 minutes after a cut back from the dead ball line.
The opening goal came for Turkey on 18 minutes as a corner from the right was met by a powerful header from 20 yards. 1-0 was the halftime score.
New Zealand came a lot more into it after the break and were definitely the stronger second half team.
After Turkey's keeper made a point blank save on 50 minutes, New Zealand had a penalty shout turned down shortly after for a trip, looked like a penalty to me.
The equaliser came on 57 minutes. A quick free kick 25 yards out slipped a man in and from just inside the area, it was slotted under the keeper.
As with all good football matches, a dog got loose and had to be chased down on the pitch.
Young Ben Mata, the New Zealand centre forward, gave a superb performance, leading the line, holding it up and terrorising defenders until he was sent off seconds from the end after a second yellowcard for an inoculous leading jump with the elbow.
F-T: New Zealand 1 Turkey 1
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