New Zealand fall 4-0 to Morocco in difficult start to FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup

New Zealand suffered a 4-0 defeat to hosts Morocco in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup on Saturday, 17 October, conceding four second-half goals after holding the North African side scoreless during the opening 45 minutes.

Playing at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Salé, the Young Football Ferns faced sustained pressure from the hosts, who dominated possession and created numerous opportunities throughout the Group A encounter.

Despite Morocco’s attacking control, New Zealand managed to keep the match level until halftime. The hosts registered 16 attempts during the opening period, but were unable to break through a determined New Zealand defensive effort.

The resistance finally ended in the 57th minute when Sonia Abajiou headed home a cross from Hiba Youssoufi to give Morocco the lead.

New Zealand’s situation became more difficult in the 70th minute, when captain Eden Chaytor inadvertently turned the ball into her own net. The second goal opened the way for further Moroccan pressure, and Imane Dhissi added a third in the 76th minute.

Hiba Youssoufi completed the scoring from the penalty spot in the 82nd minute, sealing a comprehensive victory for the tournament hosts.

The statistics reflected Morocco’s superiority. The North African side registered 39 attempts to New Zealand’s two, highlighting the challenges faced by the Oceania representatives against an aggressive attacking opponent.

The result represented a disappointing beginning for the Young Football Ferns, who entered the tournament following another successful qualification campaign in Oceania.

New Zealand are participating in their tenth FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, maintaining their record of appearing in every edition of the competition alongside only one other national team.

However, the opening defeat leaves them needing an improved performance in their remaining Group A fixtures if they are to maintain hopes of progressing to the knockout stages.

The Young Football Ferns will next face Argentina before completing the group stage against Germany, with the team seeking to recover from a difficult opening encounter and demonstrate a stronger performance against their upcoming opponents.