New Zealand have capped off their most successful tournament, capturing bronze at the U17 Women's World Cup in Uruguay.
They beat Canada 2-1 in Montevideo in their third/fourth-placed playoff to finish the tournament in style.
They got off to the perfect start when Grace Wisnewski capitalised on a mistake by Canada to score after just 15 seconds.
The goal was the fastest-ever scored in a U17 Women's World Cup match.
Wisnewski scored her second when she fired a shot past the keeper inside the box in the 13th minute.
New Zealand went into the break leading 2-0, and Wisnewski was cruely denied a third when her shot hit the post.
Canada responded in the 64th minute when Lara Kazandjian found the back of the net to set up a thrilling finish.
Canada did their best to push for an equaliser, but keeper Anna Leat did her best to repel the Canadian onslaught.
The win means Leon Birnie's is the first New Zealand team to claim a medal at any FIFA tournament.
"Who would have thought?" said Birnie following the game.
"We came over here and we had a dream to get out of the group. We made history by doing that and then got into the semi-finals and created more history and now we have just got a bronze medal in a World Cup. How good are these players?
"Great performance. The first half we were really good and the second half was just pure determination and hanging in there to get that medal."
New Zealand finished second in their group after beating Finland 1-0 and Uruguay 2-1, but they lost their final match to Ghana 2-0.
They faced former champions Japan in the quarter-finals, and won in a penalty shootout which saw them go on to face Spain in the semi-finals, which they lost 2-0.
Spain beat Mexico in the final 2-1 to claim the Gold medal.
Newshub.
