[ad_1]
At North Harbour Stadium, Auckland: Argentina 1 (Mariana Larroquette 77’) Football Ferns 0. HT: 0-0
The Football Ferns were left to rue a bad first-half miss by Hannah Wilkinson as they lost 1-0 to Argentina at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland on Thursday night.
Mariana Larroquette scored the decisive goal in the 77th minute, receiving a delicate ball over the top from Daiana Falfan, getting around goalkeeper Erin Nayler and hitting her shot hard enough that Claudia Bunge’s sliding block couldn’t prevent it from going in.
Wilkinson had the goal at her mercy when she received a cross from Gabi Rennie down the left on the verge of halftime, but could only steer her shot wide to the right with plenty of the goal to aim for.
SHANE WENZLICK/PHOTOSPORT
Hannah Wilkinson reacts to her first-half miss for the Football Ferns against Argentina.
The Ferns kept their opponents out for longer than they had in any of their previous eight matches, but were ultimately consigned to fifth loss in a row and have now gone eight games without a win.
Fullbacks Ali Riley and CJ Bott remained out for the Ferns with minor injuries they picked up following the loss to Portugal, while Olivia Chance was absent as she had been released back to Celtic in Scotland early.
Klimková opted to play right back Grace Neville at left back and centre back Meikayla Moore at right back and there were moments in the first half where they could be seen getting to grips with unfamiliar roles.
Moore was shown an early yellow card for a late tackle and Argentina’s best chances came from balls played in behind the pair, with Neville making a gut-busting recovery run to prevent the visitors’ best opportunity in the first period.
The Ferns were having success pressing Argentina and winning the ball, but they struggled to create much with it once they had it.
Wilkinson had the ball in space on the edge of the box in the 22nd minutes, but failed to hit the target even though she wasn’t under any pressure.
She tried to turn provider seven minutes later, breaking down the left and receiving a pass from Katie Bowen, which she tried to send across goal for Rennie, to no avail.
Rennie returned the favour in better fashion just before halftime, but Wilkinson sent her shot from point-blank range just wide of the right post.
The move started when Daisy Cleverley won the ball on the edge of her own box and released Betsy Hassett, who captained the Ferns in Riley’s absence.
Eliana Stabile forced a save from Erin Nayler in the Ferns’ goal as the second half began in increasingly open fashion.
Halftime substitute Paige Satchell had the ball fall at her feet in the middle of the box from a Grace Jale cross, but her first touch let her down.
There was a seven-minute stoppage just after the hour mark, while Hassett received treatment on a cut to her face.
Argentina’s goal came after the Ferns failed to clear their lines, with Moore overhitting a pass to Bowen, who could only tap it to Falfan.
The Ferns thought they might have played Larroquette, but while it was tight, there was no intervention from the video assistant referee to save them.
There were eight minutes of stoppage time added and as they began, Michaela Foster sent a free kick goalwards which Argentine stopper Laurina Oliveros handled comfortably.
The big moment
Wilkinson’s miss just before halftime. Rennie served the ball to her on a plate right in front of goal, and she simply had to put the chance away.
Best on pitch
Malia Steinmetz was everywhere in midfield during the first 55 minutes and her absence after that was noticed. Claudia Bunge also had a strong outing at centre back, after only playing 45 minutes across the Ferns’ first two matches this month.
The big picture
Three losses in three matches this month – a run the Ferns were treating as a mini World Cup – leaves them in a big hole five months out from the event proper, which New Zealand is hosting alongside Australia. They are next set to be in action in Europe in early April.
Watch coverage of the Football Ferns v Argentina and the Fifa Women’s World Cup Qualification Play-off Tournament live on Sky Sport or stream on Sky Sport Now.
[ad_2]