One of New Zealand's traditional sporting foes, South Africa, frustrated the Football Ferns at the Ayia Napa Municipal Stadium in Paralimni on March 1, earning a scoreless draw against the Oceania champions on Matchday Two at the Cyprus Cup. With Korea Republic edging Northern Ireland 1-0 in the day's earlier encounter - Cha Yun-Hee scored half-way through the first half, the pressure was on the Kiwis to at least match that result in order to remain on top of the group. But it wasn't to be, with the "in your face" approach of Banyana Banyana - South Africa's nickname - unsettling the Football Ferns, thus denying them the opportunity to perform to their potential and earn the victory they desired. "They're a pretty good team, who've prepared well for this tournament", said Football Ferns coach, Tony Readings, soon after the final whistle. "They made it hard for us to play and settle into our rhythm, and while we never looked in danger of conceding, we struggled to break them down, and, in contrast to our performance against Northern Ireland two days ago, rarely got out of first gear". The Football Ferns had a handful of opportunities during the match, the pick of which saw Ali Riley dashing down the left in the first half before firing over a deep cross for Sarah Gregorius, who, from a tight angle, saw her shot cleared off the line by South African stalwart Janine van Wyk. Katie Hoyle shot narrowly over the bar during the second spell, while Amber Hearn shrugged off the attentions of the persistent Amanda Sister to go close before, in the final minute of the match, Kirsty Yallop found herself through on goal with just the 'keeper to beat, only for Thoko Mndaweni to frustrate the midfielder and secure a point for Banyana Banyana by saving at her feet. "Abby Erceg was excellent at the back for us today, and was really confident in possession", said Readings, as he assessed his team's performances. "Amber Hearn held the ball up well under pressure, and was creative and positive throughout, while Betsy Hassett always looked to get on the ball in midfield". The result against potential opponents at the Olympics Games later this year - South Africa are one of four teams contesting the Cyprus Cup who have qualified for 2012's showpiece women's football tournament - marks the first time a team representing New Zealand Football has drawn with South Africa at any level. All other clashes between the countries have seen the All Whites, the OlyWhites and the Junior All Whites (U17s) end up on the wrong end of the scoreline. The only representative football side from this country to overcome the old foe was the NZ Universities women's team, which thumped South Africa 4-1 at the 2005 University Games in Turkey. The Football Ferns' next opponents will be every bit as challenging. "Korea Republic are very quick, very technically gifted and defensively very organised", says Readings of a country New Zealand has encountered on numerous occasions in recent years at all levels of the women's game. "They make it difficult for you to play, that's for sure. But that's why this tournament is so integral to

our preparations. At the Olympics, we'll definitely come up against a European team, and we could well end up in the same group as the USA or Japan, or even South Africa. So the opportunity to come up against these different playing styles and find ways to overcome them cannot be underestimated". The Football Ferns have a two-day break before their final group match takes place at 1.30am on Monday, NZ time, with victory against the Koreans potentially earning the Kiwis a fifth-place play-off against the third-placed team in Group A, either Finland or Switzerland. Any other result and the third-placed team in Group B will be their likely opponents on the final day of the tournament. Football Ferns:     Bindon (Rolls, 46); Percival (Green, 65), Smith, Erceg, Riley; Moorwood (Longo, 75), Hoyle, Hearn, Hassett; Wilkinson (Yallop, 60), Gregorius In the other matches on the second day of Cyprus Cup action, Scotland pulled off the shock of the tournament so far by coming from behind to down last year's finalists, Holland, 2-1. Sherida Spitse headed the Dutch in front after twenty-five minutes, but straight from the kick-off Scotland restored parity thanks to Claudia van den Heiligenberg, who put through her own net. Hayley Lauder fired the Scots in front on the hour to threaten the upset, which became reality soon after Dutch fullback Dyanne Bito hit the crossbar in the dying minutes of the contest. The other match in Nicosia saw Cyprus Cup holders Canada leave it late before edging out Italy 2-1. Christine Sinclair's 131st goal for her country gave the Canadians the half-time lead, but Sandy Iannella matched her effort straight from the kick-off in the second spell. Italy looked to be on course for a point until Robyn Gayle popped up to ram home the winner two minutes into stoppage time, a strike which leaves Canada in charge of the group and needing just a point from their final game to advance to the final yet again - they have played in all four finals in this competition to date, winning three of them. The Group A finalists won't be known until the final group games have taken place, after England and France both won again to set up a showdown on Monday morning. Fara Williams marked her one hundredth appearance for the English by scoring the only goal of the game fifteen minutes from time against Switzerland. France, meanwhile, earned a 2-1 win over Finland, for whom Linda Sallstrom equalised just after the hour mark to counter Eugenie Le Sommer's opener ten minutes before half-time. Wendie Renard headed home the winner for the French with twenty minutes still to play. Aside from the Football Ferns match, and the cross-Channel clash, the other matches on Monday see Finland playing Switzerland while South Africa and Northern Ireland lock horns in games which commence at 4.30am NZ time, three hours after the Group B matches take place. Italy and Scotland lock horns in Larnaca, while holders Canada and Holland meet in a replay of last year's Cyprus Cup Final in Nicosia.