A long-awaited return to the world's top-twenty-ranked women's footballing nations is at hand for New Zealand's Football Ferns, after they administered their own version of "The Italian Job" at the Cyprus Cup on 8 March. The champions of Oceania downed eleventh-ranked Italy 2-0 at the GSZ Stadium in Larnaca to leave themselves perfectly placed to advance to the Cyprus Cup Final - earning at least a point from their last group game with England will book them a clash with the other group winners, Canada, in the showpiece fixture. As against Scotland, the Football Ferns maintained possession for long periods against "Le Azzure", who fielded a much-changed line-up from that which their coach, Italian footballing legend Antonio Cabrini, fielded against England in their opening game. The Kiwis came close to opening the scoring in the first half through Anna Green, who hit the post with a free-kick, and Helen Collins, who was again thwarted in a one-on-one situation. In the second spell, further chances were forthcoming, with Amber Hearn spurning the opportunity to increase her record tally of goals for New Zealand when seeing her penalty saved, while Katie Hoyle rattled the bar with a thunderous drive, and Betsy Hassett steered one past the post from six yards. "We were beginning to think it was going to be one of those days", said coach Tony Readings, "when you create plenty of chances but the ball just won't go in, then you're caught with a sucker punch". Thankfully, it wasn't the case, for in the 63rd minute, half-time substitute Hannah Wilkinson broke the deadlock with a tight-angled finish. And six minutes later, direct from a corner, Green delivered the coup de grace with what turned out to be her last kick of the game. "We had a better balance today between our wealth of possession and the chances we created from it", said a pleased Readings after the game. "We were worthy winners, and now go into Monday's match with England looking to win to reach the Cyprus Cup Final for the second time". Rebekah Stott, Hoyle and Hassett were among many who caught the coach's eye in this game, but particular praise was reserved for debutant goalkeeper Erin Nayler. "She didn't have too much to do, but when called upon, she performed with the confidence of a seasoned campaigner. "There was a one-on-one opportunity she foiled with her legs late in the game, while throughout the game she instilled confidence in those in front of her, and her composure and distribution were excellent". Annalie Longo and Ria Percival took no part in the game, but it's anticipated they will have overcome their minor injury concerns prior to Monday's clash with England at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia. F'ball Ferns:     Nayler; Riley, Stott, Erceg, Green (Patterson, 70); Bowden, Hoyle, Hearn, Hassett; White (Gregorius, 60), Collins (Wilkinson, 46) England prepared for that encounter with another thriller against Scotland, which went every which way before the final whistle sounded with the teams having shared eight goals. Lisa Evans put the Scots in front in the eighteenth minute, but two goals in the last five minutes of the half turned things round for England, Ellen White and Toni Duggan affording them a 2-1 half-time lead. Within six minutes of the resumption, Scotland had turned things round, Jane Ross and Kim Little both netting to restore their one-goal advantage. But two goals in four minutes, from Rachel Williams and Kelly Smith, had England back in front again with twelve minutes remaining. They couldn't hold onto their lead, however, Emma Mitchell levelling the scores with seven minutes left to leave the teams respectively coached by Hope Powell and Anna Signeul savouring the part they played in a 4-4 thriller. That result leaves the Football Ferns on top with six

points, two ahead of England, with Scotland and Italy now out of Cyprus Cup Final contention. Unlike Canada, who have reached their sixth successive final with a game to spare after coming from behind to down Finland 2-1. Emmi Alanen stunned John Herdman's charges by netting a sixth minute opener, but the Canadians turned things around before half-time to establish their winning break, Jonelle Filigno's equaliser being supplemented by Christine Sinclair's penalty eight minutes before the interval. All the scoring in the other group match also occurred in the first half, with Holland's Lieke Martens seeing her twelfth minute effort matched twelve minutes later by Ramona Bachmann, whose equaliser earned Switzerland a 1-1 draw. In Group C action, Korea Republic scored a 3-0 win over Northern Ireland to set up a group decider with Eire, for whom substitute Aine O'Gorman netted the only goal of the game seven minutes into the second half of their clash with South Africa. In Algarve Cup action, Denmark played out their second scoreless draw of the tournament, this time against Norway, while Germany overcame Japan 2-1 thanks to goals from Verena Faisst and Dszenifer Marozsan, whose stunning free-kick restored the Germans' lead after Mina Tanaka had levelled the scores for the youthful Nadeshiko combination. It was raining goals in Group B, with Sydney Leroux, Ali Krieger, Megan Rapinoe, Christen Press and Whitney Engen all on target as the USA thumped China 5-0, an effort which Sweden surpassed later in the day. They blitzed Iceland 6-1, with Sara Thunebro, Lotta Schelin, Marie Hammarstrom, Susanne Moberg and two-goal markswoman Kosovare Asilani leading the goal celebrations in a game which saw Holmfridur Magnusdottir score a late consolation goal for the well-beaten Icelandics. Tom Sermanni's team boast the perfect two-from-two record in this group, and a win or draw against second-placed Sweden will send Team USA through to their tenth Algarve Cup Final in eleven years. A Swedish victory will earn them a first spot in the showpiece fixture since 2009. Who the USA or Sweden will face in the final is far from clear-cut. Norway and cup holders Germany are locked on four points, and play each other in their final group fixture in a winner-take-all encounter. Should that finish in a draw, Denmark come into the equation - they need to beat Japan by three goals to have a chance of topping the table on goal difference. Hungary's Fanni Vago struck both goals - the second from the penalty spot - as she led her country to a 2-0 defeat of host nation Portugal in what is now a wide open Group C, with Wales having downed Mexico 1-0 thanks to Jess Fishlock's twelfth minute goal. All four teams have won a game in this group to date. Cyprus Cup details: England 4 (E. White (40), T. Duggan (45), R. Williams (74), K. Smith (78)), Scotland 4 (L. Evans (18), J. Ross (49), K. Little (51), E. Mitchell (83))  HT 2-1 Italy 0, Football Ferns 2 (H. Wilkinson (63), A. Green (69))  HT 0-0 Canada 2 (J. Filigno (29), C. Sinclair (37 pen)), Finland 1 (E. Alanen (6))  HT 2-1 Holland 1 (L. Martens (12)), Switzerland 1 (R. Bachmann (24))  HT 1-1 Northern Ireland 0, Korea Republic 3 (TBA)  HT 0-1 South Africa 0, Eire 1 (A. O'Gorman (52))  HT 0-0 Algarve Cup details: Germany 2 (V. Faisst (7), D. Marozsan (55)), Japan 1 (M. Tanaka (18))  HT 1-1 Norway 0, Denmark 0 China 0, USA 5 (S. Leroux (14), A. Krieger (32), M. Rapinoe (47), C. Press (65), W. Engen (85))  HT 0-2 Iceland 1 (H. Magnusdottir (86)), Sweden 6 (K. Asilani (10, 47), S. Thunebro (14), L. Schelin (44), M. Hammarstrom (45), S. Moberg (64))  HT 0-4 Mexico 0, Wales 1 (J. Fishlock (12))  HT 0-1 Portugal 0, Hungary 2 (F. Vago (28, 89 pen))  HT 0-1