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Papua New Guinea

Seven's Heaven For World Cup-Bound SWANZ

by Jeremy Ruane

Nicky Smith - a hive of energy in attack

Marlies Oostdam - spurned a one-on-one

Zoe Thompson - missed a few, but eventually netted

Hayley Moorwood - unleashed "Hayley's Comet" to wrap up the scoring

Rebecca Smith - the SWANZ Swedish-based skipper

Friday the thirteenth turned out to be anything but black for the New Zealand women's soccer team.

Instead, they were in seventh heaven after becoming the sixteenth and last nation to qualify for the 2007 Women's World Cup Finals, upon trouncing host nation Papua New Guinea 7-0 at the Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium in Lae.

Their winning margin could have been a great deal higher, however, with chances galore being spurned inside the opening twenty minutes, Zoe Thompson and Marlies Oostdam particularly profligate when just PNG goalkeeper Roxanne Komeng stood between them and glory.

But any hopes held by the 4500 locals in attendance, in relation to seeing their charges score a stunning upset, were brutally dispelled in a devastating ten-minute burst prior to the half-hour mark, during which the Kiwi machine smashed home four goals to book their berth in China with an hour still to play.

Abby Erceg (not Nicky Smith as initally reported), Thompson, Ria Percival and Kirsty Yallop fired the bullets which tore apart PNG's World Cup dreams, and realised those of Oceania's foremost women's soccer-playing nation.

With qualification in the bag, the SWANZ cruised through the remainder of the match. Anna Green netted her first goal for her country with an exquisite chip just after the hour mark, an effort swiftly followed by Yallop's second of the game, a strike which ensured that she would share the tournament goalscoring honours with Nicky Smith - both netted four goals in the qualifiers.

While Papua New Guinea's attempts to gain a consolation goal proved fruitless, the SWANZ weren't satisfied with just six goals for their afternoon's efforts, and five minutes from time crowned their campaign in fine style.

Hayley Moorwood thundered home her country's fiftieth Women's World Cup goal against PNG in seven outings to provide a fitting exclamation mark, as New Zealand announced their return to world women's football's top table, after a sixteen-year absence, in emphatic fashion.

NZ's line-up: Jenny Bindon; Rebecca Smith, Abby Erceg, Maia Jackman; Ria Percival, Simone Carmichael (Hayley Moorwood, 46), Kirsty Yallop, Marlies Oostdam (Anna Green, 52), Ali Riley (Katie Hoyle, 52); Nicky Smith, Zoe Thompson

Non-playing substitutes: Hannah Bromley, Wendi Henderson, Emma Kete, Annalie Longo, Emily McColl, Stephanie Puckrin

The SWANZ seven-goal triumph means they have repeated their 1991 achievement of qualifying for the China-hosted Finals, the inaugural competition marking the only previous occasion in which New Zealand has graced international women's football's ultimate stage.

For their efforts, they join Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, hosts China, Denmark, England, holders Germany, Ghana, Japan, Nigeria, North Korea, Norway, Sweden and the USA in the draw, which will take place in Wuhan on April 22.

Winning the Oceania tournament has earned NZ Soccer a minimum of $US 300,000, as for the first time in its history, prize-money is being provided for the sixteen countries which qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup Finals.

Another bonus for New Zealand is that, as a result of proving themselves Oceania's number one, they are just two games away from qualifying for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing - the SWANZ will play the winners of the South Pacific Games, to be contested later this year, on a home-and-away basis early next year for that privilege.

The other game of the day saw Tonga and the Solomon Islands battling out a scoreless draw, an outcome which sees the Tongans finish in third spot, ahead of the Solomons on goal difference.

But while both fledgling women's soccer-playing nations each return home with a point and a goal to show from their first top-flight international tournament, the day belonged to one team and their coach, John Herdman underlining his coaching credentials by taking a New Zealand squad to a second FIFA World Cup Finals tournament inside twelve months.

Kirsty Yallop - two goal heroine

Anna Green - first goal for her country

Ria Percival - on target again

Maia Jackman - in her final qualifying tournament, realises her World Cup dream at last

John Herdman - reaches another World Cup Finals

2007 Oceania WWC Qualifying Series