Fifteen-year-old New Zealand goalscoring sensation Rosie White fired herself into footballing folklore on 23 November, scoring her second hat-trick in seventeen days as the Junior Ferns eclipsed Chile 4-3 in Coquimbo's Estadio Francisco Sanchez Rumoroso. Having bagged the match ball for her exploits in the Young Ferns' 3-1 win over Columbia, today's treble means White has become the first player in history to score hat-tricks in both the FIFA U-17 and U-20 Women's World Cup Finals - a phenomenal achievement for a young lady who will be eligible, NZ qualification pending, to take part in both Finals again in 2010. The outcome of the match means the host nation of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Finals has no chance of advancing beyond the round-robin phase of the competition, unlike their conquerors. The Junior Ferns need to defeat England in their final Group A encounter on Thursday to be certain of becoming the first New Zealand team at any level to advance to the last eight of a FIFA Finals. Unless an appeal on the grounds of mistaken identity is upheld, John Herdman's charges will be without Ria Percival for that winner-take-all encounter in Santiago, the feisty flyer judged by referee Erika Vargas to have committed a second bookable offence late in the Chile thriller to rule herself out of the clash with the country of her birth. How anyone could confuse Percival and the perpetrator of the crime, Caitlin Campbell, defies logic, although it must be said the floodlighting in that particular area of the ground left a great deal to be desired, and that's being kind! The clash with the host nation was a belter, with the Junior Ferns setting the scene for what was to follow inside the first thirty seconds. Katie Hoyle's reverse pass released White through the inside left channel, from where she fired a low cross into the goalmouth. Sarah McLaughlin, its intended target, was thwarted by Chilean goalkeeper Claudia Endler, who had a fantastic match, and ultimately saved her country from a double-figure hiding. Four minutes later, McLaughlin lashed a twenty-five yarder over the bar as the Junior Ferns continued to set the pace against opponents who, while mounting threatening raids via some neat passing moves, ultimately undid the bulk of their good work in these early exchanges with a poor final ball. The Junior Ferns were fizzing, however, and in the tenth minute, Liz Milne released Hannah Wall - another strong performance - down the left. Hoyle missed her cross, but Betsy Hassett retrieved the situation and linked with Campbell beyond her. The fullback's cross invited McLaughlin to direct a header goalwards, but her effort flashed past the post. Two minutes later, Abby Erceg - all class in defence - released McLaughlin down the right, and she linked with Percival. Her cross, intended for White, was punched out by Endler, who was in action again seconds later. Campbell released Wall through the inside left channel with a raking crossfield ball, one which allowed the whippet-like midfielder to shrug off the challenge of Karen Ayala and shoot in one movement. Endler produced a fine save to tip the ball to safety. Bridgette Armstrong headed the subsequent corner from Campbell past the post for a goal-kick. While Endler cleared her lines well on this occasion, a less memorable clearance, in the sixteenth minute, gave the Junior Ferns a glorious chance to open the scoring. Wall controlled the `keeper's goal kick neatly, then picked out McLaughlin with her pass. The striker's first-time through ball sent White darting through the Chilean defence, but Endler parried the danger to safety well. After Wall had been thwarted on the edge of the penalty area by a timely Valentina Lefort tackle, the Junior Ferns scored the goal their efforts richly merited in the twentieth minute. Geraldine Leyton dribbled out of defence past two opponents, but after doing all the hard work, promptly turned possession over to Hoyle. The Junior Ferns' captain instantly picked out White in the penalty area, and she cleverly turned between two defenders before letting fly with a shot which deflected past the stranded Endler into the corner of the net. The goal underlined New Zealand's dominance to this point, and they swiftly sought to turn the screw while their opponents and their healthy support base - 16,324 fans piled in to cheer on the host nation in this match - were still reeling from this blow. White saw Endler smother a twenty yarder not ninety seconds after she had opened the scoring. Then a lovely move involving Armstrong, Hoyle, Hassett and Percival culminated in a cross to the near post which White just failed to capitalise on, largely due to the close attendance of Endler and Juanita Pena. In the 24th minute, Percival did brilliantly well not only to chase down a lost cause but cross in the same movement. Wall's anticipation of her team-mate's hard work put her in position to launch herself into a diving header beyond the flailing arms of Endler but wide of the target. Chile's crowd base had gone quiet, but they burst into life again in the 25th minute when Hoyle was caught in possession by Maria Mardones, who picked out Daniela Zamora with a slide-rule pass. The striker's shot was matched by a sprawling save to her right from Charlotte Wood, who instantly sparked a New Zealand counter-attack. This culminated in Percival lashing a twenty-five yarder over the bar by not a great deal. Seconds later, Erceg ignited a super move with a smart interception, and straight away brought McLaughlin into play. She spread the ball wide to Wall, who evaded a challenge before linking with White. A one-two with McLaughlin saw the goalscorer unleash a shot on the turn straight at Endler. Eleven minutes before half-time, Chile's best move of the half saw Mardones, Zamora, Daniela Fuenzalida and captain Daniela Pardo all involved in engineering an opening for Nathalie Quezada, who fired her shot on the turn straight at Wood. She ignited a counter-attack which culminated in her opposite number being fortunate to stay on the park, never mind escape a booking. A mistake by Pena was pounced on by McLaughlin, who raced into the penalty area, only to be brought to earth by Endler. Costa Rican referee Vargas had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, but lacked the courage of her convictions when it came to handing out the appropriate punishment to the offender, who was allowed the chance to save White's attempt from the penalty spot. The striker gave her no chance, battering the ball

Sarah McLaughlin in full flight, about to be tripped by Claudia Endler for the penalty which made it 2-0 Bridgette Armstrong denies Daniela Zamora Sarah McLaughlin high-stepping against Juanita Pena Liz Milne fends off Daniela Zamora Maria Mardones foils Sarah McLaughlin Sarah McLaughlin, Ria Percival and Katie Hoyle help Rosie White celebrate one of her goals Hannah Wall leaves a couple of Chilean defenders trailing in her wake as she scampers down the flank

through the net before Endler could move to double New Zealand's advantage eight minutes before half-time. As before, they looked to build on their advantage still further, White herself dazzling three defenders before thrashing a thirty yarder just past Endler's right-hand post five minutes before the interval. McLaughlin was next to feature, Erceg, Wall and the overlapping Milne combining to present her with a shooting chance from twenty yards. Endler smothered this effort, and looked on a minute from half-time as the right wing combination work of Percival and Campbell culminated in the latter whipping over a wicked cross with which McLaughlin only just failed to make contact. Chile's coach, Marta Tejedor, clearly gave her charges a right royal half-time rev-up, because they came out all guns blazing in the second spell, and struck the post within three minutes of the resumption. Pardo was the player unfortunately denied by the woodwork, her curling effort completely deceiving Wood after Chile's captain had worked a slick one-two with Quezada just outside the penalty area. The Junior Ferns failed to clear their lines, and almost paid the price - Araya brought a fine diving save out of Wood seconds later. But Chile didn't have long to wait till they were back in the contest - one wayward McLaughlin missile later, it was 2-1, and game very much on, five minutes into the second half. An incredible goal it was, too. Fuenzalida hoisted a thirty-five yard free-kick into the danger zone, and Wood, charging out, opted to punch the ball to safety. To her horror, Mardones stepped in and sent a twenty-five yard header (!) sailing over the heads of all-comers into the back of the net. Suddenly, Chile were breathing fire - the goal rejuvenated them, and with the fans urging them on, they went after an equaliser with a vengeance. Pardo and Mardones combined, the latter wrong-footing Hoyle before threading a pass through to Zamora, who have Armstrong the slip before blazing the ball over the bar in the 54th minute. Back came the Kiwis, led by Wall. She did Lefort an absolute treat on the hour, then delivered an inviting cross into the stride of McLaughlin, who was arriving on cue on the edge of the goal area. Her cushioned volley had “Goal” written all over it until Endler somehow diverted it onto the post - a stunning save. Chile's response, seconds later, saw substitute Maryorie Hernandez hoist the ball downfield. Wood raced out but sliced her clearance straight to Quezada, who seemingly couldn't miss with the goal gaping. Erceg had other ideas, however, and coolly cleared the shot to safety. In the 66th minute, the Junior Ferns regained their two-goal advantage. Campbell delivered a corner from the right which White headed skywards. Underneath it was Hassett, who headed the ball back into the danger zone. Lurking in the goal area was Renee Leota, who had entered the fray just seconds before the set-piece had been taken. Chile clearly hadn't paid any attention to her - how they were made to pay! Leota swooped on the ball and, with her first touch, volleyed home unerringly from point-blank range - 3-1. Chile were reeling once more, and after Percival and Hernandez had exchanged long-range efforts on goal, survived a genuine scare eighteen minutes from time. Wall and Hassett worked a one-two on the left which saw the former release White through the inside-right channel with a magnificently weighted inch-perfect fifty yard pass. White took the ball on in her stride, and promptly let fly from just inside the penalty area. Endler launched herself to her right and kept her country in the World Cup … for all of two minutes. Because when the Junior Ferns raided again in the 74th minute, history was in the offing. Hoyle was fouled just inside her half, and as she urged her team-mates to calm things down, Hassett ignored her and played a quick free-kick to Wall. She swept the ball across field to Percival, who was galloping through the inside right channel at a great rate of knots, and had just Endler to beat. Looming large on her left was White, and Percival unselfishly rolled the ball across the goalmouth to allow her young team-mate to complete her hat-trick and, at 4-1,  seemingly wrap up the contest. Chile had other ideas, however, and with Wood performing like the legendary Scottish goalkeepers of yore, still fancied their chances. Straight from the kick-off, New Zealand's goalkeeper, who had been booked for time-wasting late in the first half, was bizarrely beaten  by the bounce of the ball as she charged out to clear it, and had to scramble back to smother it as Quezada closed in for the kill. Eight minutes from time, Chile gave themselves a lifeline with a second goal. Leyton's angled ball into the box found Hernandez haring through the defence, and she dashed along the by-line before rolling the ball into the near post area. There, Pardo was on hand to cheekily wrong-foot Wood and Erceg with a clever flick using the inside of her back heel - a subtle strike, but was it too late for Chile? Junior Ferns substitute Annalie Longo certainly thought so. In the 84th minute, she jinked past two opponents on the left before whipping in a low cross to the near post. Endler thwarted Leota superbly, then denied Longo herself five minutes later after the midfielder had swept past three challenges. In between times, Percival had departed the fray prematurely, leaving the ten women to hold onto their advantage throughout the remaining minutes, including all four which made up stoppage time. Those hopes were dashed two minutes into same, when substitute Javiera Guajardo linked with Pardo to release Quezada through the inside right channel. The striker's clever dummy allowed Zamora, dashing through behind her, to wrong-foot the defence and steer the ball past the exposed figure of Wood - 4-3, and a grandstand finish in store. But time was Chile's enemy, and when referee Vargas blew the final whistle seconds later, the host nation's representatives sank to the ground in a torrent of tears, their World Cup dreams shattered by the Junior Ferns, whose hopes of achieving their principle objective - a quarter-final berth - remain very much alive. Chile:          Endler; Lefort (Guajardo, 61), Pena, Leyton (booked, 71); Araya (Coihuin, 69), Mardones, Pardo, Perez (Hernandez, 57), Fuenzalida; Quezada, Zamora Junior Ferns:     Wood (booked, 41); Campbell, Erceg, Armstrong, Milne; Percival (booked, 41, 87 - sent off), Hassett, Hoyle, Wall (Longo, 79); McLaughlin (Leota, 65), White (Smith, 77) Referee:     Erika Vargas (Costa Rica)