PNG In Lae

The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website | home

PNG In Lae

Ferns Have Plenty To Address Despite Win

by Jeremy Ruane

The Football Ferns established a solid 7-1 advantage over Papua New Guinea in the first leg of their OFC Women's Olympic qualifying play-off at the PNG Football Academy in Lae on January 23.

But coach Tony Readings and his charges will be disappointed that their margin of victory wasn't greater, after missing several chances - including yet another penalty - and conceding a goal, just the second the Papuans have scored against the Football Ferns in fifteen matches between the teams, dating back to their first clash in 1989.

Oceania's representatives at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Women's Football Tournaments set out their stall early in the uncomfortable conditions in Lae, where the temperature at kick-off was 35C - and that was before accounting for the humidity, not to mention a challenging playing surface. In short, extreme conditions.

They also had to be wary of the Papuans' physical approach and their willingness to pursue long balls - Jacobeth Bani was particularly noteworthy in this regard, although Abby Erceg invariably held the upper hand in their clashes.

Class prevailed, however, and in the nineteenth minute the visitors opened the scoring through prolific markswoman Amber Hearn, who swooped to turn home a Ria Percival free-kick following a foul on Rebekah Stott.

Within two minutes, Stott herself had got on the scoresheet for the second time in four internationals, and before a further five minutes had elapsed, Annalie Longo slammed a shot against the crossbar before thundering home New Zealand's third goal in the 26th minute.

In response to this three-goal salvo in seven minutes, the Papuans adopted a defensive strategy, but it didn't prevent Aimee Phillips from opening her international account in just her second match - and first start - for the Football Ferns, the striker tucking home her team's fourth goal ten minutes before half-time.

Rosie White went desperately close to giving the Football Ferns a five-goal lead soon after, while a goal on the stroke of half-time was ruled out after Fijian referee Ravitesh Behari deemed a Papuan defender had been fouled seconds prior to the ball entering the net following Percival's corner.

Readings introduced two of his "energy bunnies" at half-time, with Betsy Hassett and Sarah Gregorius providing plenty of zip and zing to the visitors' play throughout the second spell.

Converting their opportunities continued to be an issue of concern, however, despite Longo embellishing the game with a splendid solo strike to make it 5-0 in the 53rd minute.

Seven minutes later, captain Erceg headed home her sixth goal for her country when picked out by Percival's free-kick, while straight from the kick-off, Longo regained possession for the visitors and sent over a cross which Hearn turned home for her second goal of the game.

The Papuans finally stung the gloves of Erin Nayler in the 71st minute, and after Haern and Gregorius had both spurned chances to extend the Football Ferns' lead, they had it reduced by one twelve minutes from time, as the host nation scored against the Oceania champions for the first time since November 1996.

Substitute Meagan Gunemba did the damage, racing through New Zealand's defence before rounding Nayler and ramming the ball home to earn the biggest cheer of the day by some considerable distance.

Suffice to say, the Football Ferns were far from happy with themselves after what is only the fourth goal scored against New Zealand's national women's team by any of their current Oceania rivals, and went on a mission to right this perceived wrong in the time remaining.

The offside flag denied Longo what would have been her hat-trick strike ten minutes from time, while the same player, who took quite a battering from her opponents throughout proceedings, spurned a glorious chance to claim her first hat-trick in a senior women's international when firing over the bar from the penalty spot after a Papuan defender had handled the ball.

Substitutes Kirsty Yallop and Hassett went close to increasing the Football Ferns' tally before the final whistle, while Erceg had to hold off the attentions of Gunemba as the home team's heroine hunted a second goal late in the contest.

7-1 the scoreline remained, however, and while it's a result which means the Football Ferns are virtually assured of representing Oceania at Rio de Janeiro in August, they will be quite keen to address certain aspects of their performance in Tuesday's second leg of this play-off, which takes place from 7.30pm at QBE Stadium, the first time the Football Ferns have ever played on home turf in the first month of any given year.

Papua NG: Watpore; Gerota, Obi, Gabong, Laeli (booked, 44); Kaipu (booked, 38) (Aimi, 66 (booked, 85)), Padio, Sinui, Birum, Kaikas (Gunemba, 55); Bani (booked, 67) (Kotome, 70 (booked, 89))

Football Ferns: Nayler; Percival, Stott, Erceg, Riley; Bowen (Hassett, 46), Duncan, Longo; Phillips (Gregorius, 46), Hearn, White (Yallop, 62)

Referee: Ravitesh Behari (Fiji)

Rio 2016