China scored a 3-0 victory over New Zealand at the Australia Cup tournament in Brisbane on February 22, but the battling Kiwi combination scored another moral victory against higher-rated opponents by not only keeping them scoreless in the second half, but outplaying their Asian rivals in concerted spells as well. The New Zealand team came close to opening the scoring three times in the first three minutes of the match, such was their early dominance. Simone Ferrara sent a twenty-five yarder sizzling past the post after just seventy-six seconds, then a surging run from Pip Meo saw her evade three challenges before unleashing a twenty-yard piledriver which Chinese goalkeeper Weng Xiaojie tipped over the crossbar. From Ferrara's resulting corner, Maia Jackman edged out Amber Hearn to head goalwards at the near post, only for Weng to grab the acting captain's header - the youthful Chinese combination was somewhat taken aback by the strong start of their similarly inexperienced opponents. China's first attack, in the eighth minute, resulted from a free-kick taken near the right touchline by New Zealand goalkeeper, Rachel Howard. Ferrara and Meisha Pyke got in each other's way as the ball arrowed towards them, allowing Wang Dandan to take full advantage of their confusion. She threaded a pass through to Wang Kun, whose shot beat the recovering Howard but hit the post, allowing Jackman to scramble clear. Seconds later, Wang Dandan's teasing cross was headed clear by Jackman, sparking a slick counter-attack. Hayley Moorwood's intelligent off-the-ball run through the middle only just failed to earn the reward it deserved when Ferrara's crossfield ball was intercepted by Guo Lin, who sent Wang Dandan away down the right. She got the better of the retreating Hearn before unleashing a shot which Howard tipped round the post. The resulting tenth minute corner saw China opening the scoring, Xu Yuan's delivery picking out Wang Kun at the near post, from where she guided a header across goal and in by the far post. Reeling from the setback, New Zealand dealt with another Chinese raid in the fourteenth minute, Priscilla Duncan clearing off the line from Wang Dandan. Four minutes later, the Kiwis were on the attack, Ferrara - a strong game - playing Naomi Clarke through. She outmuscled a defender before directing her shot at Chinese goalkeeper, Weng Xiaojie. China doubled their advantage in the 21st minute. Pyke undid all her good work when beating an opponent and moving out of defence by directing a pass straight to You Jia, who wasted no time in linking with Wang Dandan. Her pass put Xu Yuan in on goal, and she slipped the ball under the diving Howard - 2-0. Seconds later, Howard produced a point-blank save to thwart Wang Kun, after the troublesome Wang Dandan had proved her worth once more with a left-wing raid. The Kiwi custodian then saved well at the feet of Wang Kun, after Wang Dandan and Xu Yuan had combined, the latter's clever reverse pass splitting the New Zealand defence. Three minutes later, Fan Tingting crossed from the right to find Wang Dandan completely unmarked, the left-sided midfielder having evaded the clutches of Pyke once more. But the Chinese player directed her header well wide of the target, when scoring appeared to be the easier option. After Ferrara had fired a twenty-five yard free-kick narrowly over the crossbar, China concluded the first half scoring with their third goal of the game, eight minutes before the interval. Another defence-splitting pass, this time from You Jia, rewarded Wang Kun's darting run, and she tucked home her second goal of the game into the far corner of the net. The second half saw the New Zealand side once again earning a moral

Amber Hearn Brooke Rangi Meisha Pyke Naomi Clarke Sarah Gibbs "Maia-mi Vice"

victory for keeping their opponents scoreless, but this time, they were the better team as well - few would have begrudged the Kiwi women at least one goal for their efforts, because they were deserving of at least one strike in this match. The alarm bells rang early on in their defence, however - a Wang Kun fifteen yard rocket screamed inches past the far post, and a vital touch from Jackman diverted the ball away from the vulture-like Xu Yuan and Wang Dandan, after the overlapping Gao Yan had fired in a low cross despite Meo's desperate recovering tackle. Jenny Bindon, who replaced Howard at half-time, then saved from Wang Dandan, after which the Kiwi combination settled down and got stuck into the task of taking the game to their opponents, with Brooke Rangi and second half substitute Rebecca Simpson rising to the occasion in defence, particularly after the impressive Jackman had fallen victim to "the curse of the Kiwi captain's armband", hobbling off with a 67th minute knee injury to join injured squad captain, Rebecca Smith, on the sidelines. Ahead of Rangi and Simpson, Ferrara, Duncan and Moorwood impressed in midfield, while Hearn was in vintage form, producing a performance not dissimilar to that of New Zealand legend Amanda Crawford in terms of her willingness to work for the cause all over the park. Zoe Thompson, Zarnia Cogle and Sara Clapham also had their moments upon appearing as substitutes. In the 56th minute, a teasing Cogle cross forced a corner, from which Moorwood lashed a shot past the post. Eight minutes later, the talented youngster was instrumental in a move which saw her gather the clearance of Ferrara's corner. Spotting Hearn in space, Moorwood picked out her team-mate with a peach of a chipped pass, which the striker steered inches wide at full stretch and with Weng Xiaojie beaten - this move alone deserved a goal. Wang Dandan and Moorwood both went close to scoring in the next five minutes, before Bindon produced a couple of fine saves in the 71st and 74th minutes to deny Xu Yuan and Wang Dandan respectively. In between times, the latter's surging run from deep culminated in a shot which Rangi blocked solidly. A rare Moorwood error nine minutes from time was capitalised on by Wang Yehang, who put fellow substitute Lou Xiaoxu in on goal. Bindon stood her ground well - she had an excellent half when called upon. The final five minutes saw New Zealand pounding away for the goal their efforts fully merited. Another Ferrara corner was cleared, this time to Cogle, who sent a thunderous twenty-five yarder fizzing past the post, mere inches away from netting her long-awaited first goal at international level. And in stoppage time, replacement Chinese goalkeeper Hao Danyang bravely saved at the feet of the charging Thompson, but did she do so outside the penalty area? Referee Jacqui Melksham - a curious appointment, given she had refereed New Zealand's previous encounter - decided that she hadn't, after consulting with her assistant, but her earlier booking of Duncan means the midfielder is suspended from New Zealand's final encounter, against tournament favourites North Korea on Tuesday evening, this being her second booking in as many matches. New Zealand: Howard (Bindon, 46); Pyke (Sowden, 46), Jackman (Clapham, 67), Rangi, Gibbs (Simpson, 58); Ferrara, Duncan (booked, 35), Moorwood, Meo (Cogle, 53); Hearn, Clarke (Thompson, 61) China: Weng Xiaojie (Hao Danyang, 83); Gao Yan (Zhang Wen, 69), Guo Lin, Sun Yongxia (Weng Xinzhi, 83), Guo Yue; Fan Tingting (Wang Yihang, 69), You Jia (Liu Sa, 45), Hou Iijia (booked, 85), Wang Dandan; Wang Kun (Li Shasha, 88), Xu Yuan (Lou Xiaoxu, 76) Referee:   Jacqui Melksham (Australia)