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South Africa

Four For Ferns As Banyana Banyana Battered

by Jeremy Ruane

The Football Ferns wrapped up their preparations for the 2016 Olympic Women's Football Tournament in Brazil by humbling fellow Olympians South Africa 4-1 at the Estadio Luso Brasileiro in Rio de Janeiro on 28 July.

In a match which saw three Football Ferns players reach personal appearance milestones, their team-mates paid tribute to Kirsty Yallop, Rebekah Stott and Betsy Hassett by producing a riveting display which left Banyana Banyana battered, beaten and bewildered long before the final whistle.

The first blow was struck in the twentieth minute, Hannah Wilkinson scoring her first goal for the Football Ferns in over a year as she continues her recovery from the ACL injury which left her sidelined for the bulk of that time.

Tony Readings' charges went close again five minutes later with a headed effort, before South African goalkeeper Roxanne Barker received a back-pass but directed her clearance straight to Amber Hearn, who didn't need any further incentive to double the Football Ferns' lead in the 32nd minute.

Four minutes later, the rampant Kiwis went close again, the crossbar coming to South Africa's aid on the occasion of Stott's fiftieth "A" international for her country, and Hassett's 100th appearance in all games for the Football Ferns.

It was half-time substitute Yallop for whom the biggest plaudits were afforded, as she became her country's sixth centurion in coming on to make her 100th appearance in "A" internationals for New Zealand.

Fellow half-time replacement Annalie Longo further compounded South Africa's misery by netting New Zealand's third goal on the hour, but five minutes later Banyana Banyana reduced the deficit, Jermaine Seoposenwe pouncing on a loose ball to afford the Group A contenders some respectability on the scoreboard.

That roused the Football Ferns to finish the game in strong fashion, replacement South African 'keeper Andile Dlamini pulling off a fine save seven minutes from time, before her defenders repelled wave upon wave of black-shirted attacks.

The Football Ferns weren't to be denied, however, and two minutes from time Sarah Gregorius delivered the coup de grace, crowning a fine, flowing move in the manner such football fully merited.

Readings was understandably well pleased with his team's performance, but made it clear that there

was still more to come from a side which opens its Olympic campaign against the reigning world and Olympic champions, the USA, in Belo Horizonte at 10am on August 4, NZ time.

"It was nice to get a win and score some goals so close to the tournament. Sometimes you don't always get the result when the performance is there, but today we did so it's a good feeling.

"We know there's a lot more we can do to improve. We will rest tomorrow, then get back into it and try to make those improvements in the next four days".

Of his milestone achievers, Readings had these words to say, with new centurion Yallop the first recipient of praise. "There's always been a consistency around how she plays and you know what you're going to get with Kirsty. She's had to evolve and has played in Sweden, Australia and New Zealand - all those experiences have added to her game.

"It's been really good to see her mature, both on and off the pitch. What you don't she is what she does behind the scenes and that's the bonus bit.

"It's really good to have another player with 100 caps and we try to keep chalking them up because, the more experience we can get these players, the better the team will be for it".

Stott, too, earned plaudits from the coach, and not just for her fiftieth cap. "It was good to have Rebekah back in and looking like she's never been away - that was fantastic for us", says Readings.

"It was also good to see Hannah Wilkinson back on the score sheet because she's not long been back from injury and did very well today, while Abby Erceg was very dependable at the back. She held the team together nicely and hardly put a foot wrong all game."

Readings' opposite number, South African coach Vera Pauw, summed things up succinctly on her Twitter account. "Well, this was a hard lesson for us. Our feet are back on the ground. All credit to a very good New Zealand".

South Africa: Barker (Andile Dlamini, 66); Ramalepe, Van Wyk, Mbane (Matlou, 46), Vilakazi; Malherbe, Makhabane, Motlhalo (Amanda Dlamini, 70), Smeda (Nogwanya, 46), Jane; Seoposenwe (Mollo, 78)

F'ball Ferns: Nayler; Percival (White, 75), Stott (Moore, 60), Erceg, Riley (Green, 60); Bowen, Duncan (Yallop, 46), Hearn (Pereira, 70), Hassett; Wilkinson (Longo, 46), Gregorius

Rio 2016