China, the world's second-best women's soccer-playing nation, accounted for a tiring New Zealand team 6-0 in both countries' final Pacific Cup match at the Hunter Athletics Centre on June 10. The SWANZ gave as good as they got in the first twenty minute, a Simone Ferrara corner, which zoomed across the face of goal, and a Marlies Oostdam drive, which Han Wenxia saved at the second attempt, the first shots fired in anger in this confrontation. After Wang Liping had hit the sidenetting, and the SWANZ had scrambled clear following a Liu Ailing-inspired raid, Maia Jackman headed Ferrara corner over the crossbar, while Wendi Henderson found herself crowded out in the fourteenth minute, after choosanother ing to go it alone despite the unmarked Amanda Crawford being up in support in the penalty area. Yvonne Vale then saved twice in a minute from Bai Jie, the first stops she was to make in an outstanding goalkeeping display. After Fan Yunjie had headed a Shui Qingxia corner narrowly past the far post in the twentieth minute, China opened the scoring within seconds. Jie instigated the raid, and Qingxia, on the overlap, held off Ferrara's challenge before crossing to Zhao Lihong, who swept the ball past Vale from ten yards. Within two minutes, China had doubled their tally. Vale produced a double-save to thwart Jie, who gathered the rebound and laid it back to Pu Wei. She crossed to Ailing, who slotted home past the unsighted goalkeeper. Undeterred in the face of the two-goal deficit, the SWANZ battled on, Jackman and Oostdam - her most impressive performance of the tournament - combining to allow Henderson a shot, which flashed a foot over the bar in the 28th minute. China, however, were beginning to show their technical proficiency - their fleet-footedness and sheer skill and speed on the ball were facets of the game totally foreign to that which New Zealand teams usually encounter - and after Vale had denied Jin Yan at close range, the Asian champions went further ahead in the 33rd minute. Qingxia's corners were a constant menace to the SWANZ defence, and another such delivery arrived near the far post, where Wei was lurking. Her shot ricocheted off the unfortunate Jill Corner - she, too, played well in the role of sweeper - and bobbled its way over the line. Vale pulled off a fine save to deny Yan four minutes before the break, while the last act of the half took place at the other end of the park, Nicky Smith's cleverly angled pass for Crawford seeing Wenxia reach the ball first, at the striker's feet. Yan rattled the crossbar in the 53rd minute following yet another menacing Qingxia corner, while Vale denied Ailing twice and a Qingxia free-kick in the ensuing ten minutes. Crawford and Henderson combined to good effect in the 64th minute, as the SWANZ continued to stake their claims against the odds. The latter's shot struck Ferrara, who was unable to react quickly enough to steer home the rebound - the midfielder had an outstanding game, covering seemingly every blade of grass in her efforts to stem the red tide. Still China pressed, and after Jackman - another to give her all and then some for the cause - had blocked a Liping shot, three goals in six minutes finished off the SWANZ. Tragically for the Kiwis, two were own goals, bringing about a rare hat-trick of goals in this manner. Vale and the tireless Melissa Ruscoe, like Corner before them, didn't deserve the ignominy of putting through their own net, but both did so as they attempted to clear Qingxia corners in the 69th and 71st minutes. In between times, Vale had saved from Jie, a feat she was to repeat in the 79th minute, having saved at the feet of Ailing seconds earlier, Lihong having created this chance with a brilliant piece of skill to beat two players. The final goal of the game came sixteen minutes from time, Zhang Ouying breaking down the right before finding Jie, who rounded a defender before seeing Vale parry her shot. Jie reacted quickly to lash home the rebound, and conclude China's 6-0 win. "I was really proud of the team today", said SWANZ coach Doug Moore afterwards. "As opposed to the Australia performance here three days ago, we played like a team today, and kept fighting and battling against what is technically the best team here. "The girls are absolutely gone. They've had to give 110% in every game, and today was a real test of their character and attitude". "We came out with less fear today", said captain Henderson. "We were confident, and have improved in this regard over the tournament. We were determined to do ourselves proud and give our last game ninety minutes. "It's been a huge learning curve for us, but we showed that we can be competitive, providing we train hard and work hard. But it's back to reality for us next week!!" "Among the many things we'll be taking from this tournament", said Moore, "is the fact that it's an absolute disgrace that we haven't played in twenty months. It's a betrayal of the players. They're prepared to work hard, but they need international match-play on a far more regular basis than has been the case in recent times". SWANZ:   Vale; Simpson (McCahill, 75), Corner, Ruscoe (booked, 59), Oliver (Pyke, 82); Jackman (Cogle, 75), Smith (Cox, 56), Ferrara, Oostdam; Crawford, Henderson (Ormond, 85). China:       Wenxia; Liping, Yunjie, Qingxia, Jingxia; Wei, Lirong (Ouying, 46), Ailing (booked, 45) (Haiyan, 75), Lihong; Jie, Yan. Referee:     Jacquie Leleu Pictured below, the SWANZ starting line-up. Back row, left to right:   Yvonne Vale, Marlies Oostdam, Rachel Oliver, Nicky Smith, Maia Jackman, Amanda Crawford Front row, left to right:  Wendi Henderson (captain), Melissa Ruscoe, Jill Corner, Simone Ferrara, Jane Simpson