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SWANZ Hit Tonga For Six

by Jeremy Ruane

Wendi Henderson - sixteen goals for her country

Stephanie Puckrin - international debut

Abby Erceg - first goal at senior level

Nicky Smith - from standby squad to starting line-up

Jenny Bindon - eleventh hour replacement

New Zealand commenced their quest to qualify for the 2007 Women's World Cup Finals on Easter Monday by downing Tonga 6-1 at the Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium in Lae, Papua New Guinea.

Wendi Henderson and Kirsty Yallop scored a brace of goals apiece for the SWANZ, the latter's efforts her first for her country at senior level. Both Abby Erceg and Zoe Thompson also scored their maiden goals for the national team in the win, which saw goalkeeper Stephanie Puckrin make her international debut.

Henderson's double-strike lifts her to third on the all-time list of New Zealand's goalscorers, while Tonga's teenage tearaway striker, fifteen-year-old Vasi Feke - the youngest member of the beaten team - had the honour of scoring her country's first-ever goal in Tonga's senior international women's football debut, when coming off the bench to score against the tournament favourites in the second half.

The SWANZ were 3-0 up inside twenty minutes in the stifling conditions, taking the lead through Yallop as she steered home an Ali Riley cross from close-range. Then Ria Percival's pass provided Henderson with ample opportunity to lob the advancing Mele Likiliki, Tonga's oft-overworked goalkeeper.

Percival again had a hand in New Zealand's third goal, her corner picking out Maia Jackman on the far post. The FIFA Women's All-Stars squad member headed the ball across goal for Erceg, who powered home a close-range header.

The movement both Percival and Riley provided on the flanks was far too copious for the Tongans to cope with, and it was the Stanford University scholar who set up the fourth goal of the game, her rapier-like raid to the by-line supplemented by a cross which gave Henderson one of the easiest of her sixteen goals in international football.

The scorer was later replaced by Zoe Thompson, who made her mark on the scoreboard when executing to perfection a diving header on receipt of Yallop's inch-perfect cross. The provider turned executioner to cap off New Zealand's scoring, Yallop turning home the rebound after Jackman's dipping volley crashed down off the underside of the crossbar.

This was New Zealand's first win on the world stage since the semi-final of the 2003 Oceania Women's World Cup qualifying tournament in Canberra, Australia, and broke a 1012-minute streak of failing to score in international action.

NZ's line-up: Stephanie Puckrin; Rebecca Smith (Hannah Bromley (34)), Abby Erceg, Maia Jackman; Ria Percival, Hayley Moorwood (Annalie Longo (58)), Kirsty Yallop, Marlies Oostdam, Ali Riley; Nicky Smith, Wendi Henderson (Zoe Thompson (59))

A couple of changes have been made to the squad since the original twenty names were announced. Injury denied Emma Humphries the opportunity to play in the qualifiers, while Rachel Howard received news of a family bereavement as the squad was about to board their flight to Brisbane on Good Friday morning.

Nicky Smith and Jenny Bindon, both members of the eight-strong stand-by squad, are their respective replacements.

New Zealand's next match sees them take on the Solomon Islands at 1pm (NZ time) on Wednesday. The Solomons' opening game - their first at full international level - saw them beaten 6-1 by host nation Papua New Guinea, who the SWANZ encounter in the tournament's final game on Friday afternoon.

The Papuans opened the scoring through Jacqueline Chalau, who later scored again, a brace bettered by Deslyn Siniu's hat-trick for the home team. The Solomon Islands scored at both ends, Prudence Fula scoring at the right end to make up for Audry Galo's “oggie”. The beaten team also missed a penalty, skipper Diane Justus directing her effort wide of the mark.

Details:

New Zealand 6 (K. Yallop (8, 73), W. Henderson (13, 56), A. Erceg (17), Z. Thompson (71)), Tonga 1 (V. Feke (81))

Papua New Guinea 6 (D. Siniu (3), J. Chalau (2), “oggie”), Solomon Islands 1 (P. Fula)

Kirsty Yallop - broke our 1020-minute goal drought

Ali Riley - rapier-like raids

Ria Percival - copious movement

Zoe Thompson - classic diving header

Maia Jackman - crossbar rattler

2007 Oceania WWC Qualifying Series