China Tour

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China Tour

Young Ferns Show Signs Of Progress Despite Defeats

by Jeremy Ruane

New Zealand's Young Ferns' FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup prospects were given a sharp reality check in Weifang, China, during the first week of the school holidays, as they took on the host nation along with two fellow Jordan 2016 contenders in an international quadrangular tournament.

Young Ferns' coach Gareth Turnbull was at pains to point out prior to departing that results took a distant second place to the experiences to be had from the learning curve upon which his charges were embarking.

But from the footballing public's perspective, results are the ultimate - and all too often the only - yardstick by which we can measure a national team's progress, particularly when opportunities to see said team in action, and see how they are progressing ourselves, are few and far between.

The results on this tour, for instance, do show some positive progress. The opening match on July 12 saw China hand the Young Ferns a 6-0 hiding, a result which equalled the record defeat inflicted upon a New Zealand U-17 women's team in three separate internationals - by Korea Republic at Takapuna in 2008, by Japan at the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Finals, and by Australia in 2013.

The Young Ferns were rocked by a seventh minute opener from Zhao Yujie as they acclimatised to the heat of battle, and a solid spell of Chinese pressure before the interval resulted in goals from Xie Qiwen and Wang Yanwen, whose double-strike brought about the 4-0 half-time scoreline.

Before the hour, two further goals in as many minutes from Xieqi Wen Jiangong and Zhao Yujie created the prospect of New Zealand's record defeat at this level being upgraded, but a string of substitutions steadied the ship and saw the Young Ferns matching their hosts over the course of the final half-hour of play, with one of the newcomers, Emma Main, earning due praise for the impact she made.

China 6 (Y. Zhao (7, 56), Q. Xie (17), Y. Wang (27, 45), J. Xieqi Wen (55)), Young Ferns 0 HT 4-0

Anna Leat; Claudia Bunge (Francesca Grange, 46), Amber Phillips (Ally Toailoa, 60), Rebecca Lake, Michaela Foster; Malia Steinmetz (Gabrielle Jillings, 66), Grace Jale (Lily Bray, 60), Alosi Bloomfield (Nicole Mettam, 66); Hannah Blake (Emma Main, 66), Sam Tawharu, Jacqui Hand

Two days later, further improvements were evident against Canada, who prevailed 3-0 but only after surviving a number of scares from a Young Ferns side sporting seven changes to its starting line-up.

Main again caught the eye, as did half-time substitute Malia Steinmetz, but it was three minutes before the interval when the Young Ferns went behind, a harsh call on a back-pass presenting Canada with an indirect free-kick opportunity from which Vital Kats opened the scoring.

Two goals in three minutes just after the hour mark,

from Mikayla Dayes and Florence Laroche, put the result beyond Turnbull's charges, with the string of substitutions which followed arresting any prospects of a heavier reversal.

Canada 3 (V. Kats (42), M. Dayes (61), F. Laroche (64)), Young Ferns 0 HT 1-0

Nadia Olla; Grange, Phillips (Bunge, 68), Toailoa, Foster (Lake, 68); Bray (Steinmetz, 46), Mettam (Bloomfield, 56), Jillings (Tawharu, 68); Blake (Hand, 68), Jale, Main

So to the final encounter, against Japan, the reigning champions at this age level, and a country which employs fantastic development programmes across the women's game in the Land of the Rising Sun.

They had begun their tournament with a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Canada, before being edged 1-0 by China, the same scoreline by which the host nation defeated Bev Priestman's Canadian combination to win the tournament.

A backlash from this rare loss at age-grade level was expected from Naoki Kusunose's squad, but the Young Ferns did well to restrict their rivals to a 5-1 win, scoring their first-ever goal against Japan at this level in the process.

A well-contested opening affair gradually saw the reigning world champions gain the upper hand, and they opened the scoring in the 25th minute through Saori Takarada, an advantage which overlapping fullback Miyu Tomita strove to increase via her creativity before the interval.

Japan clearly had a half-time rev-up, because inside four minutes of the resumption, Nodoka Funaki had scored twice to increase their lead to 3-0, both goals having been created by Takarada.

Then came the highlight of the Young Ferns' week, a counter-attacking goal on the hour from Jacqui Hand, New Zealand's maiden strike against Japan at U-17 women's level in five attempts.

Young Nadeshiko weren't going to take that lying down, however, and in the final twelve minutes of play, Hana Takahashi struck twice to bring about the final 5-1 scoreline.

Japan 5 (S. Takarada (25), N. Funaki (47, 49), H. Takahashi (78, 90)), Young Ferns 1 (J. Hand (60)) HT 1-0

Olla (Leat, 46); Grange (Bray, 69), Toailoa (Bloomfield, 82), Lake (Phillips, 46), Bunge; Steinmetz (Foster, 69), Jale (Jillings, 76), Mettam; Blake, Tawharu (Main, 69), Hand

New Zealand takes on Mexico in their opening FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Finals fixture in Amman at 3am on October 1, NZ time, before taking on Spain in Irbid three days later at 2am.

They conclude group play with a clash against host nation Jordan, in Al Zarqa at 2am on October 8. The Canadians face Cameroon, Germany and Venezuela in their Finals group, while Japan tackle Ghana, Paraguay and the USA at Jordan 2016.

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