Garbett goal gives New Zealand perfect start to FIFA U-20 Men’s World Cup

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Substitute Norman Garbett gave New Zealand a dream start to the FIFA U-20 Men’s World Cup when his late goal provided a 1-0 win against Guatemala.

Garbett (19), who plays for Italian club Potenza Calcio, latched onto a defence-splitting pass from Fin Conchie to lob the ball over advancing ‘keeper Fausto Delgado who had been on the pitch less than two minutes.

The goal in the 80th minute was a killer blow for Guatemala who had toiled well against a New Zealand side that had dominated possession from the start of the game.

Main photo: Norman Garbett came off the bench to score New Zealand’s winner in the opening game.

*Norman Garbett about to start his goal celebration after beating the ‘keeper.*

The win put New Zealand at the top of Group A until host country Argentina beat Uzbekistan 2-1 later.

The Kiwis started the game full of confidence, stroking the ball about and denying Guatema any use of the ball in the Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades.

In fact, it took almost 10 minutes before goalkeeper Kees Sims got his first touch of the ball.

Neither side seemed willing to take risks and went into the break goalless.

New Zealand went into the second half with a clear intention of taking the ball forward and to get the ball behind the Guatemala rearguard.

Despite that, Guatemala had the first real goalscoring opportunity of the game when Arquimides Ordoñez lashed a shot just wide from outside the area.

Before the game, New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley had said a strength of his squad was its depth of talent.

In the 67th minute, he made a double substitution, bringing on Wellington Phoenix’s Ben Wallace and former Western Suburbs player Garbett, the younger brother of All White Matt Garbett.

They made an immediate impact, with Wallace shooting hard and low from 25-metres, forcing a save from goalkeeper Jorge Moreno.

*New Zealand’s Isaac Hughes (centre) disrupts the Guatemalan defence in the second half.*

In the 78th minute, striker Oliver Colloty collided with Moreno as he and Garbett chased a ball into the box.

After treatment, the ‘keeper was substituted by the hapless Delgado whose first act two minutes later was to pick the ball out of the net while Garbett celebrated his goal.

The New Zealanders saw out the rest of the game, and its 11 minutes of stoppage time, by starving Guatemala of useful ball.

They now look forward to their midweek clash with Uzbekistan, a game that could provide a route into the knockout stages regardless of the final pool game against Argentina.

Highlights

Match stats

New Zealand / Guatemala

Possession: 44% / 34% / 22% in contest
Shots: 3 / 4
Shots on target: 2 / 3
Passes: 476 / 355
Pass completion: 85% / 77%
Corners: 4 / 5
Aerial duals won: 26 / 17
Ground duals won: 76 / 56

Results

Games played on Sunday May 21, 2023 (NZT)

New Zealand 1 (Norman Garbett 80′)
Guatemala 0

Argentina 2 (Alejo Véliz 27′, Valentin Carboni 41′)
Uzbekistan 1 (Makhmudjon Makhamadjonov 23′)

Standings

Line-ups

New Zealand

Kees Sims, Lukas Kelly-Heald, Isaac Hughes, Finn Surman (captain), Adam Supyk (Ben Wallace 67′), Jay Herdman (Aaryan Raj 89′), Fin Conchie, Jackson Manuel (Dan McKay 85′), Jackson Jarvie, Noah Karunaratne (Norman Garbett 67′), Oliver Colloty (Kian Donkers 85′).

Subs not used: Henry Gray, Albert Kelly-Heald, Everton O’Leary, Finn Linder, Oliver Fay.

Staff

Head coach: Darren Bazeley.
Assistant coaches: Paul Temple, Martin Bullock.
Goalkeeper coach: Glen Moss.

Yellow cards: Hughes (50′), Manuel (68′), Wallace (88′).

Guatemala

Jorge Moreno (Fausto Delgado 78′), Jeshua Urizar (Jose Espinoza 78′), Mathius Gaitan (Edy Palencia 86′), Jonathan Franco (captain), Andy Dominguez, Carlos Santos (Rudy Muñoz 56′), Nestor Cabrera (Emerson Raymundo 78′), Arquimides Ordoñez, Figo Montaño, Allan Juarez, Daniel Cardoza.

Subs not used: David Aldana, Randall Corado, Arian Recinos, Jefry Bantes Vita, Anderson Villagran.

Staff

Head coach: Rafael Loredo.
Assistant coach: Jorge Garcia.
Goalkeeper coach: Edgar Jerez.

Yellow cards: Franco (32′), Santos (39′).

Officials

Referee: Abongile Tom (South Africa).
Assistnat referees: Ivanildo Lopes (Angola), Abelmiro Montenegro (São Tomé and Príncipe).
Fourth official: Abdelaziz Bouh (Mauritania)
VAR: Aleandro Di Paolo (Italy).
Assistant VAR: Amr El Shinawi (Egypt).