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Arg 12/06/06
Heartening Result For NZ U-20s
by Jeremy Ruane
New Zealand's Under-20 Women's Football team maintained their unbeaten record on their four-match tour of Argentina in Buenos Aires this morning, coming from behind to hold the senior Argentinian national team to a 1-1 draw at the host nation's Ezeiza base.
It's the best result yet for the young Kiwi team, this draw against the world's 36th-ranked women's soccer-playing nation certain to give their confidence and self-belief a significant boost, as they continue their preparations for August's FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Finals in Russia.
Those attributes were in evidence right from the start of this match, with New Zealand, who sported seven changes to the starting line-up from their opening encounter with River Plate, twice going close inside the first ten minutes.
Sarah Gregorius slipped Merissa Smith through just four minutes into the match, and the fifteen-year-old speedster was only denied by Argentinian goalkeeper Romina Ferro.
The custodian was caught out five minutes later, however, as the Kiwi duo reversed their roles. This time it was Smith heading the ball through to Gregorius, allowing the striker to lob the advancing Ferro. Defender Catalina Perez came to her team-mate's aid, however, clearing off the line.
Stung by the lively start of their youthful opponents, the wise heads in the Argentina team began to apply the collective experience they had accumulated from such events as the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup Finals, and took control of the match.
Their reward was swift in coming, Rosanna Gomez's 21st minute cross from the left met perfectly on the volley by midfielder Rosana Godiez, whose effort rocketed past New Zealand goalkeeper Aroon Clansey into the top right-hand corner of the net to open the scoring.
Throughout the remainder of the half, the Kiwi custodian was the busiest player on the park, producing a string of saves to keep the Argentines at bay. Early in the second spell, New Zealand lost the services of Hannah Rishworth, who came off second-best in a clash of heads with Gomez.
The premature departure of the defensive stalwart galvanised the Kiwi team, and in the 56th minute, their new-found resolve gained due reward. Emma Humphries unleashed a free-kick which cannoned off the defensive wall into the goalmouth. Lurking with intent was Gregorius, who turned and lashed the ball
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 Sarah Gregorius
 Aroon Clansey
 Hannah Rishworth
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into the bottom left-hand corner of the net to restore parity, much to the delight of the visiting contingent.
Stung, the Argentines stepped up the pace, but the closest they came to breaking the deadlock was a crossbar-rattling effort in the 65th minute. New Zealand also had their chances, the best of which came at the death, when Ferro emerged the heroine for her side as two Kiwis converged on her goal with just the `keeper to beat.
The 1-1 scoreline is one which delighted NZ U-20s coach John Herdman, who was very proud of his charges' efforts. “The team showed a lot of maturity to be clinical when the time was right today, and also mental strength in being able to grind out a result.
“Even though there are things they can certainly improve on, you have to remember that they were playing a top senior women's team from the hotbed of world football. It was a very good team performance in this context”.
The New Zealand U-20 Women's Football team continue their week-long tour of Argentina on Thursday morning, NZ time, when they take on fellow FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup finalists Argentina at 6.30am.
The match takes place at the Ezeiza facility, at which the New Zealand team is staying. The previous occupants of the complex were the Argentinian squad currently competing at the FIFA World Cup Finals, and the Kiwi squad is agog at the quality and size of facilities, the likes of which are simply non-existent in New Zealand sport.
Changing rooms, a restaurant, on-site medical facilities and accommodation, an auditorium, a games room, hydrotherapy rooms, eight fields, a dedicated team bus … compare that with the facilities currently available to the All Blacks, as they prepare for their visit to Argentina next week.
Match details:
Argentina 1 (R. Godiez (21)), New Zealand U-20s 1 (S. Gregorius (56)) HT 1-0
New Zealand line-up:
Aroon Clansey; Ria Percival, Hannah Rishworth (Hannah Bromley, 53), Abby Erceg, Ali Riley; Katie Hoyle, Emma Humphries (Maggie Lankshear, 73), Kirsty Yallop; Emma Kete (Renee Leota, 50), Sarah Gregorius (Caitlin Campbell, 75), Merissa Smith (Helen Collins, 75)
Non-playing substitutes: Julia Baldwin, Emma Harrison, Annalie Longo, Bianca Mori, Grace Vincent
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