[ad_1]
At McLean Park, Napier: Football Ferns 2 (CJ Bott 17’, Jacqui Hand 44’) Vietnam 0. HT: 2-0
Crowd: 6215
The Football Ferns will head into the FIFA Women’s World Cup on the back of a morale-lifting victory over Vietnam.
The World Cup co-hosts beat the tournament debutantes 2-0 in a surprisingly one-sided warm-up match at McLean Park in Napier on Monday night thanks to first-half goals from CJ Bott and Jacqui Hand.
It was the Football Ferns’ fourth win in 24 matches under coach Jitka Klimková, their first at home since 2012 and ended a 10-game winless run, and it could not have come at a better time with their opening game of the World Cup only 10 days away.
The Football Ferns head into the home World Cup looking to create history by securing their first win. Their best chance should come in their second match, against the Philippines in Wellington on July 25.
Kerry Marshall/Getty Images
The Football Ferns celebrate after CJ Bott’s opening goal against Vietnam.
After nine weeks in camp, Monday’s hit-out provided a final tune-up for New Zealand before they meet Norway in Auckland on July 20, but it felt like a training run at times, particularly in the first-half.
The match was shockingly one-sided given the teams’ respective rankings, with just six places separating the no. 26 Football Ferns and no. 32 Vietnam.
By halftime New Zealand had out-shot Vietnam 19-1 and the only disappointing aspect from their first win of 2023 was that the Football Ferns did not rack up a bigger score given their plethora of chances.
The shot count finished 27-2.
Despite New Zealand’s struggles under Klimková, Vietnam deployed curiously negative tactics by sitting deep in their own half and giving up possession, which led to the Football Ferns peppering their goal for 45 minutes.
After prolonged pressure, right-back Bott made the breakthrough in the 17th minute after her long-range strike from a short-corner routine took a heavy deflection off Vietnamese defender Thi Thu Thao Tran.
Tran was well positioned to block Bott’s low-driven shot but misjudged the flight of the ball and ended up guiding it past goalkeeper Thi Kim Thanh Tran.
Left-wing Hand doubled the lead on the cusp of halftime with a composed finish at the back post.
Indiah-Paige Riley burst into the box and delivered a pinpoint cross from the right for fellow winger to score with a simple tap-in.
Hand should have had a second moments later but shot wide from a similar position after Katie Bowen headed the ball towards the goal.
Handed her first start in nine games, 21-year-old Riley was the big winner from Monday’s match and looks to have cemented her spot on the right wing for Norway, ahead of Grace Jale, Gabi Rennie, Paige Satchell and Milly Clegg.
Kerry Marshall/Getty Images
Indiah-Paige Riley dribbles through the Vietnam midfield.
The one-cap Matilda who switched nationality to New Zealand ahead of the World Cup was a constant threat and caused Vietnam plenty of problems with her direct dribbling and ability to beat players in 1 v 1 situations.
An early burst from Riley led to a chance for Betsy Hassett but the veteran midfielder’s shot flashed outside the left post.
Vietnam’s only real chance came midway through the first half when Thi Thanh Nha Nguyen broke down the left, only for her shot to be blocked by Bowen.
Vic Esson was effectively reduced to a spectator role in the New Zealand goal, not required to make a proper save across 90 minutes, though she did safely catch an over-hit cross that was officially registered as a shot.
The Football Ferns were unable to add to their lead in the second half.
Their best opportunity of the second 45 came when Rebekah Stott took a free-kick quickly and released Hassett down the right, but Hassett took a heavy touch at the key moment and was unable to wrap her right foot around the ball.
Ria Percival was handed the captain’s armband in her comeback from a long-term knee injury after being promoted to co-captain alongside Ali Riley ahead the World Cup.
The tenacious midfielder got through 68 minutes before being replaced by another returning player, Annalie Longo.
Also back from a serious knee injury, Longo made an immediate impact on her return to the international stage by creating a goal-scoring opportunity for Olivia Chance, though Chance’s shot was blocked.
Bott required treatment after getting her left foot stopped on by Thi Thao Than late in the game, but she was able to see the match out and the Football Ferns appeared to get through without any major injury concerns.
Needing a comprehensive win to instil some much-needed confidence in the team after barren run of results, the Football Ferns could hardly have asked for better in their final World Cup dress rehearsal.
[ad_2]