The Football Ferns bounced back to form in timely fashion in front of 6,215 fans at Napier's McLean Park on July 10, cruising to a thoroughly deserved 2-0 triumph over a disappointing Vietnam combination as both nations finalised their preparations for the FIFA Women's World Cup Finals in ten days' time. Victories for the Ford-sponsored national team have been rare birds in recent times, but this "VW" - Vietnam win - couldn't have been better timed, giving Jitka Klimkova's charges a much-needed morale boost as they scored their first win on home turf in over a decade, and first anywhere in ten months. Boosted by the return from the fifteen-month injury-enforced absence of co-captain Ria Percival, the Football Ferns swiftly set about establishing their authority on proceedings, dominating possession from the outset against opponents who offered little attacking threat to their hosts during the first half, save for a 34th minute raid by Thanh Nha Nguyen which Katie Bowen swiftly snuffed out via a covering defensive run. That moment apart, it was one-way traffic in the first half, much to the delight of the local faithful as Napier hosted its first-ever senior level football international - the city has hosted age-grade internationals previously, most notably group action in the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Cup Finals. The Football Ferns first threat on goal materialised in the seventh minute, Hannah Wilkinson flicking Malia Steinmetz's delivery into the stride of Jacqui Hand, who wriggled through two challenges before drawing a parried near post save from Kim Thanh Tran. The resulting corner from Percival picked out Wilkinson, whose powerful header was blocked. The rebound sat up invitingly for Katie Bowen, whose twelve yard drive was deflected past the post for … a goal kick! Unperturbed, the black-clad Ferns pressed again three minutes later, this time via the Rileys. Ali's quickly taken throw-in allowed namesake Indiah-Paige to take on an opponent before pulling the trigger. Her shot was blocked, but Betsy Hassett was perfectly placed to latch onto the rebound, and thundered it inches past the post from the edge of the penalty area. Within a minute, the Football Ferns were prowling once more, Catherine Bott, Hassett and Percival combining for Indiah-Paige Riley to exploit the space on the right and deliver a measured cross into the goalmouth. Wilkinson's twelve yard bullet header was grabbed by Tran, one of six players boasting that surname in Vietnam's squad. There was no let up from Klimkova's charges. On the quarter hour, another wickedly delivered corner from Percival was turned over her own crossbar by Tran, under pressure from Wilkinson. Seconds later, another Percival corner ricocheted off a defender and just past the far post. All this pressure had to gain some reward, and Vietnam's rearguard was finally breached in the seventeenth minute. Percival delivered a different corner this time, playing it back to Bott some twenty-five yards out from goal on the angle. She duly unleashed a low drive which wasn't the most sweetly struck shot in her career, it must be said, but was nonetheless effective, deceiving Thu Thao Tran as she attempted to clear it, the slight deflection from that failed effort redirecting the ball beyond the goalkeeping Tran and into the net to the delight of the scorer, her team-mates and virtually all present at McLean Park. Having established a lead, the Football Ferns regrouped before looking to press on -  a full nine minutes elapsed between the goal and their next attack of note. Ali Riley and Wilkinson unlocked the Vietnamese rearguard, only for Hand to send the ball blazing over the bar in the 26th minute. A minute later, Percival unleashed Indiah-Paige Riley down the right, from where she scythed inside before unleashing a fierce drive which Tran could only parry. Diem My Le was first to react to the loose ball, but only cleared it as far as Percival, who lashed her shot over the bar from the edge of the area. This was shaping up as a "dip your bread" game for the Football Ferns, given all these attempts inside the first half-hour, only three of which were on target. On the international stage, such opportunities must be taken, especially by a team which rarely gets the chance to score goals. But Vietnam were providing stubborn resistance. Percival and Hand combined on the left, with the latter's cross plucked off the head of Wilkinson by Tran in the 33rd minute. Two minutes later, the 'keeper denied "IPR", while the goalkeeper only just cleared her lines as Wilkinson looked to exploit her poor touch seconds later. In the 37th minute, Tran blocked an effort from the younger Riley with her legs, with Percival's resulting corner being met by Bowen. Her header was blocked, with Wilkinson volleying the rebound over the bar. Soon after, the powerfully built number

seventeen was denied a penalty when bundled over from behind when attempting to get on the end of a Percival free-kick. The Football Ferns needed another goal before half-time, and in the shadows of the half-time whistle, they got it, the culmination of a super move involving Bott, Hassett and the irresistible Indiah-Paige Riley, to whom Vietnam had no answers whenever she threatened on the right. As she did here, delivering a deliciously angled buffet ball across the face of goal which said "Help yourself!" Hand, arriving on the far post, duly feasted - 2-0. Before the interval, the home team could, nay, should have further extended their advantage. Steinmetz picked out the former Australian age-grade international turned potential Kiwi World Cup star, "IPR" promptly unleashing a twenty-yarder which Tran diverted round the post. Cue yet another corner from Percival, whose angled delivery invited Bowen to guide the ball expertly into the stride of Hand, some four yards out from goaoh no!! How did she miss? Somehow, the ball skidded past the far post when converting the last opening of the first half seemed by far the easier option. Vietnam offered greater resolve after the interval, with the hitherto unoccupied Vic Esson stumbling by her left-hand upright as the visitors' captain, Nhu Huynh, fired their first shot in anger past said post in the 49th minute. The Football Ferns with a brief flurry of pressure around the hour mark, initially sparked by Le and the goalkeeping Tran getting their wires crossed as Hand closed in fast in the 58th minute. Five minutes later, Rebekah Stott's free-kick picked out Hassett's run through the inside right channel, from where she fired a shot past the near post. Soon after, Percival engineered an opening which allowed Bott to batter a twenty-yard grasscutter goalwards. Tran smothered this effort, then looked on as Hand's touch failed her at the vital moment, with Stott's inviting angled pass carving open Vietnam's defence for the benefit of the Finnish-based frontrunner. That was the cue for all change at Grand Central Station where the Football Ferns were concerned, as coach Klimkova attempted to revitalise her charges' efforts in the final quarter of a contest, the second half of which rarely rose above the mundane quality-wise. Among those introduced to the fray was Annalie Longo, back in black after a race against time to be fit for the Finals following yet another of those blessed ACL injuries which are the bane of women's footballers the world over. Her smile as she returned to her happy place said it all. It didn't take long for Longo to start doing Longo things again, the teasing and tormenting of opposing defenders via a combination of quick feet and quicker thinking. She initially linked with Indiah-Paige Riley and Bott on the right, with Olivia Chance the recipient of her cross. The substitute's header found its way to Longo, who hooked the ball back across the goalmouth for her team-mate and fellow returnee after a knee injury. Chance's 69th minute shot was blocked by a defender. Four minutes later, Bott and Indiah-Paige Riley worked a one-two on the right which saw the opening goalscorer fire in a cross which arced behind Hand but sat up perfectly for Chance. Tracking midfielder Van Su Ngan foiled her bid to make a goalscoring return to the national team. In the time remaining, the Football Ferns mustered just one more opening of note in a contest in which they were in control from start to finish. Another substitute, Michaela Foster, looked to pick out Longo with a ball into the penalty area. A defender's intervention saw it cleared to Hassett who dragged her shot past the far post. There was a late scare for New Zealand when Bott was caught late and from behind by Vietnamese substitute Thi Thao Thai, who was booked for her crude intervention. Thankfully she was able to see out the match, one deservedly won 2-0 by the Football Ferns, a victory which should have been greater, and a performance which, while impressive in the first half, didn't capture the imagination after the interval. As World Cup Finals dress rehearsals go, though, many boxes were ticked, the most important one being in the column headed W - what a delight to see the Football Ferns victorious on home turf again! Football Ferns:     Esson; Bott, Stott (Bunge, 67), Bowen, A. Riley (Foster, 67); Hassett, Percival (Longo, 67), Steinmetz; I. Riley (Rennie, 80), Wilkinson (Chance, 67), Hand (Clegg, 80) Vietnam:     K. Tran; Thu Tran (Ngan, 46), Luong (H. Tran, 46), Le (Tuyet Nguyen, 70), Thi Tran, Hoang; Thanh Nguyen, B. Nguyen, Duong (Thai, 86 (booked, 89)); Huynh (Vu, 86), Pham (Thuy Nguyen, 70) Referee:     Rebecca Durcau (Australia)