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FC Indiana
Kiwis Conclude Cup Preparations On Losing Note
by Jeremy Ruane
New Zealand concluded their preparations for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup Finals at the Kuntz Stadium in Indianapolis on Wednesday, but a 1-0 defeat at the hands of newly crowned Women's Premier Soccer League national champions, FC Indiana, was not the note on which they wished to sign off.
Coach John Herdman opted to field the same starting eleven which lined up in Chicago's strength-sapping midday heat against the USA two days previously, and the bulk of them had run themselves into the ground by half-time in this encounter against America's foremost women's club team.
Only Abby Erceg, Ria Percival and captain Rebecca Smith saw out the entire match, one in which all twenty-one players in the New Zealand squad enjoyed some game-time.
Indiana, whose squad is adorned by internationals from Canada, Mexico, Russia, Spain and the USA, were quickly out of the blocks in this match, Elena Terekhova's cross picking out Maria Ruiz in the fifth minute. Jenny Bindon tipped her shot over the bar.
Three minutes later, Julianne Stich and Ruiz combined to present Monica Ocampo with a chance. This missed the target, as did five other attempts Indiana made to break the deadlock before the half-time interval.
New Zealand had lost the services of Rebecca Tegg half-way through the first half with a calf strain, and come the start of the second spell, five more fresh-legged substitutes had entered the fray, each keen to take the chance to stake their World Cup squad claims.
One, Rachel Howard, was soon in action, making the first of a string of saves in the 48th minute to deny Lauren Sesselmann, seconds after Ruiz - Indiana's star turn - had steered a shot across the face of goal.
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Both locals combined in the fiftieth minute to create the game's only goal, Ruiz's clipped pass in behind New Zealand's defence dropping nicely over the shoulder of Lisa Grubb, who unleashed a stunning first-time volley into the top corner of Howard's net to open the scoring.
The Frauen Bundesliga-based Howard was kept busy throughout the rest of the half, saving from Jessy Havrilesko, Sesselmann and twice from Ruiz, firstly in a one-on-one situation in the 68th minute, then in stunning fashion to deny the Spaniard's eight-yard drive nine minutes from time. The rebound fell to Grubb, but Smith was on hand to clear off the line.
Seconds prior, New Zealand had gone close to levelling the scores. Zoe Thompson's close-range effort beat Team USA squad goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill, but not Havrilesko, who cleared off the line.
This was Indiana's fifth victory against international opponents from as many matches. Just prior to the 2004 Olympic Games, they defeated Australia 1-0, so this victory completes a unique trans-tasman double for the American club team.
Indiana: Kristin Luckenbill; Jessy Havrilesko, Aivi Luik, Corie Moore; Elena Terekhova, Julianne Sitch, Fatima Leyva, Monica Ocampo (Brooke O'Hanley, 46); Lauren Sesselmann, Maria Ruiz, Lisa Grubb
NZ 1st half: Jenny Bindon; Ria Percival, Maia Jackman, Abby Erceg, Marlies Oostdam (Emily McColl, 37); Emma Humphries (Michele Clarke, 37), Priscilla Duncan, Rebecca Smith, Hayley Moorwood, Ali Riley; Rebecca Tegg (Wendi Henderson, 23)
NZ 2nd half: Rachel Howard; Percival, Hannah Bromley, Erceg, McColl (Annalie Longo, 63); Clarke (Merissa Smith, 63), Rebecca Sowden, Smith, Katie Hoyle, Zoe Thompson; Henderson (Clarke, 80)
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