A top quality finish twenty minutes from time by China's Wang Chen denied the Football Ferns the winning start they were looking for at the Yongchuan Cup in Chongqing, China on 11 February. Tony Readings' charges went down 1-0 to the host nation at the Chongqing Yongchuan Sports Centre in the opening game of the tournament, which also features North Korea and Mexico. The Football Ferns enjoyed a wealth of possession throughout the match, forcing China to defend quite deep against the world's sixteenth-ranked nation. But those defensive tactics meant chances were at a premium throughout proceedings. "We kept the ball really well in both halves of the match, and penned China back in their half of the pitch for long periods", said Readings after the match. We created enough chances to win the match, but not in convincing fashion". Of those they did create on a day captain Abby Erceg made her one hundredth appearance at senior level for her country, the pick of them came in the first half. Amber Hearn rattled the crossbar with a drive, the rebound from which Sarah Gregorius steered past the post. In the second spell, substitutes Hannah Wilkinson, with a shot on the turn, and Katie Bowen both went close, the latter grazing the bar with her effort on a day Erin Nayler barely had reason to touch the ball, other than to fish it out of her net in the seventieth minute. "China raided down the right", said Readings, "and things got a bit scrappy near the corner flag. The ball was played into the penalty area, and Wang Chen controlled it, turned sharply and ripped one into the top corner - it was a real quality finish". On a day Ali Riley undergoes surgery to remove a

piece of bone floating around her ankle, her replacement, Megan Lee, made a great fist of her first start for the national team. "She was very accomplished at left back", said Readings, "while Katie Hoyle broke up every attack, and was really composed in possession. Ria Percival, too, impressed, proving impossible to get past, while she was outstanding going forward. "All round, it was a really good team effort, without getting the result which we probably deserved. But teams are showing us respect now, and by defending deep, China presented us with a new challenge on which to work as we build towards our Women's World Cup campaign". The Football Ferns take on North Korea at the same venue in two days time, with the action getting under way from 10pm, NZ time. They are without Riley and fellow injury victim Anna Green for this tournament, while long-standing goalkeeper Jenny Bindon announced her retirement from the international stage just days before the Yongchuan Cup squad was announced. Three uncapped players are part of the Football Ferns squad for this tournament, but neither Catherine Bott, Emily Jensen nor Evie Millynn saw any game-time in the opening match. This is the second time the Football Ferns have been invited to contest this annual quadrangular tournament by China. In 2009, they took on the host nation in the opening game again, and copped a 6-0 hiding … five years on, we're disappointed to even be losing - a sure sign of this team's progress in that time. Line-up: Nayler; Percival, Stott, Erceg, Lee (Bowen, 70); Hassett (Longo, 60), Hearn, Hoyle, Yallop; Collins (Wilkinson, 55), Gregorius (White, 65)