Europe's top two teams were stunningly knocked out of the FIFA U-17World Championships in New Zealand on Wednesday on a day of upsetresults in both Auckland and Napier.

European champions Spain, one of the early favourites at the tournament,were humbled 1-0 by Mexico in group B to finish outside of the top twoplaces while Poland's hopes were ended by a first-ever win for the hostnation at a world championship event.

There was also an upset in the deciding match in group A as the USAscored in the last minute to beat Uruguay into first place and avoid ameeting with group B winners Ghana, who continued their outstanding formwith a 7-1 drubbing of Asian champions Thailand.

Mexico's Hector Vallejo scored the vital goal against Spain just beforehalf-time to see his country into second place in group B and aquarter-final meeting with the Americans, fellow members of The FootballConfederation.

Spain failed to convert second-half territorial dominance into goals andwere unable to find the equaliser they needed to secure a quarter-finalberth.

Earlier in Napier, Ghana ran riot against the Thais with a hattrick forboth Bernard Dong Bortey and Ishmael Addo. But the biggest cheer of theday came when Amatawet Suriya pulled a goal back for Thailand, theirfirst at the tournament after conceding 17 goals in three games.

There was plenty of cheering, too, in Auckland where New Zealand beatPoland 2-1 to record their first win and knock out the Poles. DavidMulligan returned from suspension to score the first goal and AllanPearce added a second before a late consolation for the European vicechampions.

The result meant that both Uruguay and the United States qualifiedbefore the kick off of their game, with Uruguay needing a draw to finishtop and stay in Auckland and the Americans needing to win.

That victory came in the 89th minute when Onyewu headed home from acorner, to leave Uruguay to travel to Napier to meet Ghana in Saturday'squarter-final.