5 Jun 2014

Junior All Whites go down to China

6:40 am on 5 June 2014

The Junior All Whites recorded a tight 1-0 loss to the hosts in the opening match of the four-team Panda Cup tournament in China.

It was the New Zealand under 20 side's first match outside Oceania in the build up to next year's FIFA U-20 World Cup on home soil.

China claimed the victory thanks to a 24th minute spot kick while the New Zealand side had a goal disallowed late in the first half when an offside flag ruled out Tomislav Trbuhovic's flicked finish from Andre de Jong's freekick.

The Junior All Whites next face Brazil in their second match on Friday at 7pm (NZ time) before they complete their tournament with Sunday's clash with Croatia.