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"Casper" Leads World Champions To Five-Goal Victory

by Jeremy Ruane

Reigning FIFA Women's World Cup holders the USA head home from their January camp in New Zealand with two more victories to their name, backing up Wednesday's 4-0 win with a 5-0 triumph over the Football Ferns at Eden Park on January 21 - the first time women's football has ever graced the venue.

A record crowd for a Football Ferns fixture in New Zealand - 12,721 fans - watched the world champions strut their stuff as only they can, while giving their local heroines every bit of encouragement they could muster as Jitka Klimkova's comparatively inexperienced charges embraced the challenges they faced with a resolve to learn as much as they could and take those lessons into future fixtures, most notably those they'll play here in six months' time.

The Americans suffered a late blow to their plans for the match, with goalscoring legend Alex Morgan forced to withdraw from the starting line-up through injury after the teamsheets had been submitted to officialdom.

It prompted a late change, with the captain's armband being handed to midfield general Rose "Casper" Lavelle, so nicknamed because of her ability to ghost into positions from where she can cause chaos aplenty - on this occasion, scoring two of her team's goals as the USA recorded their seventh 5-0 victory over their Kiwi counterparts in the 24 clashes between these teams over the years.

Lavelle was swift to impose herself on proceedings, playing Mallory Swanson through the inside left channel in the second minute of play. The speedster left Ally Green standing before unleashing a shot which ricocheted off Ali Riley into the grateful gloves of Erin Nayler.

In response, the Football Ferns forced a corner in the ninth minute. Olivia Chance's delivery was cleared to Trinity Rodman, who rampaged over halfway on the counter-attack before bringing Ashley Sanchez into play. Ally Green's terrific covering run denied her in the act of shooting, however - the fullback visibly grew in confidence with the cheer that act encouraged.

There was no let-up from the visitors, however. Seconds after Nayler had only just got away with clearing her lines as Swanson bore down on her at a great rate of knots, a quickly taken free-kick resulted in Andi Sullivan firing wide in the twelfth minute of play.

Seven minutes later, Sullivan went close again, this time via a ten yard header after she had been picked out by Swanson's cross, the corner she had initially delivered having been cleared back to her.

Halfway through the first half, the USA opened the scoring with a high-quality goal which was brilliantly executed. One-touch passing is nigh on impossible to contain, and it was Sanchez, coming off her marker to receive a pass from Crystal Dunn, who got the ball rolling.

The midfielder pinged the ball wide to Rodman, roaming down the left on this occasion. Her first-time through ball found Morgan's replacement, Ashley Hatch, surging through the heart of the Kiwi rearguard to send a low first-time drive arrowing beyond Nayler's despairing dive into the far corner of the net - a quite outstanding goal in both conception and execution.

Within four minutes, they were threatening a second goal, this time with a little help from Ally Green. Under pressure, she played a pass behind Riley, who suddenly found herself being roasted for pace by Swanson - and the Football Ferns captain is certainly no slouch when it comes to speed!

The lady formerly known as Mallory Pugh got to the by-line before pulling the ball into the stride of Sanchez, whose six-yard drive was splendidly blocked by Nayler - she had a sound game, and couldn't be faulted for any of the goals, it must be said.

That proved to be Ally Green's last act of note in the contest. The fullback, previously seen in the left-back role, endured a torrid time on the right throughout the opening half-hour of play, while Liz Anton, who has previous in the right-back role, was operating solidly on the left flank, affording Rodman little change on the occasions she was given the chance to threaten.

Both apparently chose to play in these positions, which made what happened after half-an-hour seem rather bizarre. Indeed, it was almost an act of mercy when Green was withdrawn from the fray, so frequently had she been given the runaround during the opening thirty minutes. She was replaced by Ashleigh Ward, who instantly slotted in at left-back, with Anton switching to the right-back role …

One positive which can be taken from the exercise was that it's best to have found out what works and what doesn't in a contest such as this one, where expectations are minimal, rather than in a match where the result genuinely matters - such as in six months' time or, indeed, within the month, with the Football Ferns taking on Portugal and Argentina in matches which the host nation will be treating as a dress rehearsal for the group stage action in July.

Ward, whose own experiences on Wednesday were not ones she'll remember fondly, more than made up for them in this match - she had a great game, even if the way she brought down Rodman in the 38th minute was more in keeping with the code which usually takes place at the national stadium! The daft thing is, she got away with it - how referee Lara Lee didn't brandish the yellow card, only she alone will know.

Team USA responded by doubling their lead seconds later. Sofia Huerta - she's had an eye-catching series in the right-back role - spotted Lavelle's run from midfield, something which no one in black managed to do.

As a result, "Casper" was ghosting in behind the defence when the fullback's measured cross arrived in her stride, and the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup Final goalscorer expertly steered a cushioned first-time volley beyond Nayler from ten yards - 2-0, and another quality goal. But where, oh where was the midfielder who was supposed to be tracking her run?

Right on half-time, the world champions threatened a third goal, Lavelle picking out Sanchez in space on the left, from where she sent a cross-shot careering past Nayler's left-hand post to conclude a half in which Paige Satchell, Grace Jale, Ava Collins and Gabrielle Rennie had run their socks off, chasing and harrying their opponents in spirited fashion for little reward. Their efforts didn't go unnoticed - each can be proud of their contribution to this contest.

For Jale and Satchell, however, a half of football was their lot, given they'd be taking to the field for opposing teams in Liberty A-League action within 24 hours. Ditto Grace Wisnewski, one of their replacements, while for the other, Deven Jackson, this was her Football Ferns debut - and a certain young lady in the media booth couldn't contain her delight as her friend fulfilled a dream every football player and fan has had at one time or another.

Not that the USA even contemplated rolling out the red carpet for the newcomer. For them, it was business as usual from the first whistle, four minutes after which Sanchez sent Swanson scampering down the left, from where she fired in a low cross which Hatch somehow steered past Nayler's right-hand post from inside the six-yard box

- an unbelievable miss!

Normal service soon resumed, however, with the USA making it 3-0 in the 53rd minute. Sullivan sent half-time substitute Emily Fox scooting down the left, and she took on two defenders before picking out Rodman with a cross towards the far post.

Her shot struck the well-placed figure of Ward, but the ball rebounded straight to the unmarked Swanson … in the blink of an eye, the ball was buried in the top corner of the net, and those clad in black were looking at each other - "Who should have been marking her?"

Football Ferns fans feared the worst when their fearless captain, Riley, stayed down after landing awkwardly while contesting possession with Hatch. Treatment for a wrist injury was swiftly administered, and the makeshift central defender was able to return to the fray for another ten minutes before her scheduled substitution - she's still recovering from a hip injury.

Just prior to Riley's 69th minute departure, USA substitute Lynn Williams skipped past Anton before cutting inside and unleashing a twenty-yarder which Nayler smothered solidly. Three minutes after Mackenzie Barry had entered the fray, she was crudely felled by Williams, who collected the game's lone caution for her troubles.

It opened the door for a rare Kiwi threat on the American goal, with much hinging on Chance's free-kick. She pinged it right into the danger area, Collins her target. Casey Murphy charged off her line to claim the sphere, and as so happens when striker and goalkeeper come together in such circumstances, the one sporting gloves earns the defensive free-kick.

That was as close as the Football Ferns got to scoring in this encounter. They failed to fire a shot in anger, a situation which can't be repeated in any match between now and the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Final on August 20, with so much at stake during the next seven months.

The USA provided them with another example of how to do it in the 74th minute, as they extended their lead still further. Taylor Kornieck pinged one over the top for Williams, whose cross was deftly turned home by the unmarked Lavelle from close range … "Casper" had ghosted into the box yet again, but who was supposed to be tracking her?

Four minutes later, Swanson met her match, Anna Green unleashing an absolute thunderbolt of a challenge which left the striker staring at the sky for the best part of two minutes before she gingerly got back to her feet.

The defender was fortunate not to be booked for her mis-timed tackle, but Swanson delivered the perfect riposte a few minutes later, in the form of a driven right cross - not the punch variety - from close range which struck Green square on the jaw and left her on her knees for even longer than Swanson had been lying on her back. Honours even.

In between these events, two more occurred, one of which saw the USA bring up the final 5-0 scoreline in soft fashion ten minutes from time. Lavelle delivered a corner to the far post which was headed home unchallenged by Kornieck - little wonder Nayler was giving her defenders the daggers look immediately afterwards. Another avoidable goal …

The other event brought about perhaps the most sustained cheer this writer has seen afforded a New Zealand football debutant in over three decades of covering the code in this country. Tayla O'Brien's fans were out in force at Eden Park, and they gave their champion a welcome she'll never forget, particularly in light of it being over eight years since she last represented her country as a Junior Fern. A special moment …

The world champions looked to finish with a flourish in the final minutes. Lavelle worked a one-two with Emily Sonnett before inviting Huerta to let fly in the 86th minute, this side-netting shaker being followed two minutes later by Nayler's save to deny substitute Margaret "Midge" Purce, with more than a little help from Anton, who hurtled across the goalmouth in a bid to put off the striker.

Seconds later, Kristie Mewis was on the charge through midfield before feeding Williams, to leave the USA with a four-on-three situation, one which Williams squandered badly, firing past Nayler but also past the far post.

Cue a flurry of stoppage time opportunities in which New Zealand's long-time number one made as strong a case as she possibly could to recapture her starting position twixt the sticks. First, Nayler thwarted Swanson at close range after Williams had got in on the left. Then the 'keeper tipped a shot on the turn from Swanson over the bar as she looked to make it six.

Huerta then chanced her arm, a shot deflecting off Anna Green and flying narrowly past the post, while the USA's fullback sent a twenty-yarder sizzling past the post soon afterwards, Swanson and Williams having combined to create the opportunity.

The final whistle soon followed, bringing an end to a great week for the women's game in New Zealand - the first time this nation has hosted football's reigning world champions since 1969, when an English FA XI featuring 1966 World Cup-winning squad members Jimmy Armfield and George Eastham visited these shores.

The USA's visit drew the biggest crowds to witness women's football matches in this country since the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Finals in 2008, with the final and opening match of that tournament the only matches boasting a bigger crowd than the 12,721 fans who witnessed women's football on Eden Park for the first time in the history of this storied venue.

Hopefully there'll be somewhere close to four times that number when the Football Ferns next play here, against Norway on July 20 in the opening match of the FIFA Women's World Cup Finals, and again on the two occasions the USA will play at Eden Park later that month.

As the world champions head home to prepare for the SheBelieves Cup, the annual four-team tournament they host every February, the Football Ferns turn their attention to a series of three matches that month which they'll be treating as a dress rehearsal for their Finals group, playing both Portugal and Argentina in Hamilton, then the latter at North Harbour Stadium on February 17, 20 and 23 respectively.

A number of players who, because of this series being played outside a FIFA international window, will be available for these matches, and perhaps one or two who are on the fringes at present. Lest we forget, we need to score goals to advance to the knockout phases of the Finals, and the opportunities to unearth someone to carry those hopes are fast running out …

Football Ferns: Nayler; Ally Green (Ward, 32), A. Riley (Barry, 69), Anna Green, Anton; Jale (Wisnewski, 46), Cleverley (Rolston, 69), Chance, Collins (O'Brien, 82); Satchell (Jackson, 46), Rennie

Team USA: Murphy; Huerta, Cook, Girma (Sonnett, 46), Dunn (Fox, 46); Lavelle, Sanchez (Mewis, 61), Sullivan (Kornieck, 61); Rodman (Williams, 61 (booked, 71)), Hatch (Purce, 61), Swanson

Referee: Lara Lee (Australia)

Football Ferns - Standing: Liz Anton, Ava Collins, Erin Nayler, Grace Jale, Anna Green, Ally Green

Crouching: Daisy Cleverley, Gabrielle Rennie, Ali Riley (c), Olivia Chance, Paige Satchell

USA - Standing: Naomi Girma, Ashley Hatch, Sofia Huerta, Casey Murphy, Alana Cook, Andi Sullivan

Crouching: Trinity Rodman, Crystal Dunn, Rose Lavelle (c), Mallory Swanson, Ashley Sanchez

Football Ferns build-up