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The Young All Whites line up - Source: ONE Sport -
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The chance to achieve two notable firsts is driving the Young All Whites ahead of their under-17 World Cup football clash against Burkina Faso in Enugu, Nigeria on Thursday (NZT)
After a promising draw against Costa Rica on Monday, the heat goes on the Young All Whites, as a victory over the Africans in mid afternoon Enugu heat and humidity will almost certainly earn them a place in the second round - a first for a New Zealand team at a FIFA event.
But victory over an African team on their home continent would be another first, and New Zealand coach Steve Cain is wary of a side wounded after a 0-1 loss to Turkey on Monday morning.
"It's shaping as a mini final, this one, as both teams will be looking for three points to get some sort of foothold in the final 16," Cain said.
"We've never beaten an African team in Africa and playing at four o'clock in 30degC temperatures and 95 per cent humidity so it'll be difficult. But these are the things we have to deal with."
Thunder storms are scheduled for the region on match day but the Young All Whites are brimming with a quiet belief that they can produce another lightning strike after leading the Costa Ricans early in their Group D opener.
"We have to back ourselves heading into this game and if we can repeat the defensive effort from the Costa Rica match and can be a bit more sensible and positive with the ball at our feet, then we can get something out of this game."
Recovery the main focus
Recovery has been the focus in the immediate 24 hours of a match that saw New Zealand lose three players to cramp in the stifling conditions.
Birkenhead midfielder Jack Hobson-McVeigh returns from a suspension he picked up in qualifying to give Cain the option of fresh legs in midfield, although the performance of Jamie Doris, Cameron Lindsay and the combative Zane Sole may prompt a retention of the status quo.
While Nigerian and Ghanaian teams have dominated previous World Cups and the Burkinabe finished third in 2001, the current side remain somewhat of an unknown quantity for New Zealand, although video analysis will go some way to removing that mystery.
But a brief glimpse of their opponents at the stadium hasn't changed the New Zealand players' view that they can rise to the challenge.
"From the 20 minutes of the match we saw before our game, it was clear they press high and all over the pitch," said New Zealand winger Thomas Spragg.
"While we need to treat them with respect there is not reason not to go into the game confident of causing an upset."
