Costa Rica

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Costa Rica

Junior Ferns Earn Historic Quarter-Finals Berth

by Jeremy Ruane

New Zealand's Junior Ferns carved themselves a place in the history books on 13 August, downing Costa Rica 3-0 at Toronto's National Soccer Stadium to become the first age-grade women's rep team from New Zealand to qualify for the quarter-finals of a FIFA event.

Watched by 6,914 fans, the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup contenders enjoyed the prevailing wind at their backs in the first spell, and were swift to use it to their advantage in a display far more in keeping with that we've come to expect from some of New Zealand's foremost female footballers at age-grade level.

Fit again captain, Katie Bowen, one of two changes made by coach Aaron McFarland to the side which copped a hiding at France's expenses four days ago, fired in a long-range free-kick which Costa Rican custodian Noelia Bermudez was forced to paw to safety.

She also pawed away Evie Millynn's resulting corner, but seconds later the midfielder pinged a pass from deep to send Emma Rolston racing through, only for Bermudez to anticipate the danger splendidly and become a genuine "sweeper-keeper", intercepting the pass and evading Rolston's run before picking out a team-mate.

Costa Rica looked to employ their passing game at every opportunity, given they were playing into the wind, and they gave their quarter-final-chasing opponents a few things to think about, such as in the tenth minute, when a wayward Lily Alfeld goal-kick landed at the feet of the lively Melissa Herrera, who promptly fired back in anger.

The Junior Ferns' 'keeper recovered to save the midfielder's shot, but the error which led to it generally typified the first twenty minutes of the match from a Kiwi perspective - plenty of good play punctuated by stray passes and the subsequent concession of possession.

When they got it right, however, good things usually resulted. Emily Jensen played a gem of a ball forward in the 22nd minute which was bettered by Steph Skilton's sumptuous through ball.

It invited Megan Lee to race in behind Costa Rica's rearguard, having finally been given the chance to represent her country in the position which best utilises her abilities - wide left.

Her display against France confirmed once and for all that a fullback she is not. Full credit to Junior Ferns coach, Aaron McFarland, therefore, for realising this error and giving Lee her head. He was rewarded with a Player of the Day performance.

While her touch failed her on this occasion, Lee should have been the beneficiary of a penalty call by Finnish referee Kirsi Heikkinen in the 26th minute, going down under the challenge of Mariana Benevides as she looked to latch onto Bowen's through ball.

The referee wasn't having a bar of any penalty calls, however, having just awarded the game's first goal in the 24th minute. Bowen was the architect of it with another long-range, wind-assisted free-kick, but the glancing header Skilton applied to the dropping sphere proved suffice to divert it beyond Bermudez and into the net to open the scoring.

The goal gave the Junior Ferns a massive lift, and after the penalty incident, they were only denied the chance to double their advantage by scrambling Costa Rican defence.

A deft nutmeg by Rolston allowed her the space in which to release Lee with a pass inviting a first-time cross. The near post delivery was ideal, but Millynn was just a stride away from reaching it, allowing her opponents to intervene.

On the half-hour, Skilton rolled her ankle, and was out of action for over five minutes getting treatment. It mattered not to the ten women, however, Jensen coming within inches of doubling their advantage as she just failed to get on the end of another long-range free-kick from Bowen, who makes a huge difference to this team with her leadership and dynamism.

The Costa Ricans reminded the Junior Ferns that a one-goal advantage may not be enough five minutes before half-time, as Anyi Barrantes, not for the first time, gave Catherine Bott a bit of a runaround - fullback is definitely not her position, but how her strengths would enhance the central midfield unit!

The winger then picked out Viviana Chinchilla with a cross which the midfielder sent blazing past Alfeld's goal from twenty-five yards - a warning shot across the bows for the Junior Ferns, to which they promptly responded with a raft of chances before half-time.

Lee, Rolston, Meikayla Moore and Skilton combined in delightful one-touch fashion in the 43rd minute, the last-mentioned delivering a delicious pass in between defenders for Bott, steaming down the right, to run onto.

Into the penalty box she stormed, with the far better-placed figure of Lee racing up in support in line with the left-hand upright. Bott went for glory, however, and saw her deflected effort rattle the side-netting.

Lee gave her team-mate a dirty look - with some justification - as she ran across to take the corner, the ball the subject of a wee bit of her frustration as she gave it a wee bit extra.

It nearly paid dividends, with Bermudez forced to tip the delivery onto her crossbar. Moore was quickest to react to the rebound, but hooked her effort over the woodwork - a let-off for the CONCACAF representatives.

Seconds before the half-time whistle, Rolston came within inches of doubling New Zealand's lead. Picked out well by Millynn, the striker neatly controlled the ball on her chest before sending an overhead kick arcing over the head of Bermudez, who was greatly relieved to see the sphere land on the roof of the net, rather than drop under it.

Costa Rica had the wind at their backs in the second spell, a factor Benavides looked to exploit within a minute of the resumption. A clumsy foul by Millynn presented the midfielder with the chance to launch a long-range free-kick, and it nearly deceived Alfeld, who had to tip the effort onto her crossbar.

The ball rebounded to safety, but the Costa Ricans weren't done with - they were dead keen to get something from what was almost certainly going to be their final game of the Finals, and the Junior Ferns were at full stretch at times as they managed to frustrate their opponents' quest to engineer an opening or three close to goal.

One opportunity of note did present itself, however, in the 55th minute. Substitute Katheryn Arroyo picked out Barrantes with a pass which allowed her to turn Bott superbly - the fullback was all at sea position-wise as a result. Barrantes undid all her good work, however, blazing wildly over the bar from the edge of the area.

It took until the 64th minute for the Junior Ferns to muster an effort on goal in this half, with Rolston's chipped effort on the run narrowly clearing the crossbar. From the resulting goal-kick, another opening presented itself, Lee and Skilton combining to play in Rolston, who was thwarted by the legs of Bermudez this time.

The Junior Ferns weren't to be denied, however, and in the 68th minute made the game safe courtesy a defensive misjudgement from an Alfeld goal-kick. Lee was the beneficiary, racing clear before rounding Bermudez, only to stumble at an untimely moment. She quickly recovered her poise, however, and deftly chipped home as two defenders raced back in vain to cover the untended goal.

Having scored stylishly, Lee missed an absolute sitter six minutes later, as the Junior Ferns looked to ram home their advantage. Moore picked out Rolston with a ball forward which the striker turned round the corner first-time for the ever-rampant figure of Skilton to stride onto.

The influential striker spotted Lee in yards of space inside her, and duly delivered a pass into her stride, ten yards from goal, from where Lee contrived to sky it - 'twas an awful miss, given no-one in a red shirt was in range of her.

Costa Rica took this as an incentive to press again, and twice came close to halving the deficit in the next four minutes. Moore's timely intervention prevented Michelle Montero from getting on the end of Yesmi Rodriguez's free-kick, while from the fullback's resulting corner, Montero was again denied, this time by a fine save from Alfeld.

After Noelle Sanz had thwarted Lee as she looked to latch onto a Rolston through ball ten minutes from time, the Costa Ricans were thwarted once more as the game entered stoppage time.

Bermudez's goal-kick was flicked on by Montero for Herrara, who was edged out by Ashleigh Ward. But the fullback's header back towards Alfeld was a tame one, much to the glee of Montero, who quickly nipped in to exploit the error.

She squandered the opening, however, shooting straight at the Junior Ferns' custodian - Montero's frustration with herself was evident for all to see. And to add to it, New Zealand made it 3-0 with the last consequential touch of the ball in the match!

'Twas the substitutes who were responsible. Briar Palmer marked her tournament debut with a stoppage time corner, right into the zone. Tayla O'Brien knew not what had hit her, but didn't care when she realised it was the ball, and it had ricocheted off her into the net to confirm the Junior Ferns' passage into the quarter-finals in style!

New Zealand's reward for reaching their first knockout phase fixture in age-grade Women's World Cup Finals is a clash with Nigeria, which takes place from 8am Monday, NZ time, in Moncton.

Costa Rica: Bermudez; Sanz, Rodriguez, Benavides, Chavarria; Herrera, Chinchilla (booked, 73), Morales (Arroyo, 33), Barrantes (Almazan, 64); F. Villalobos (Montero, 58), G. Villalobos

Junior Ferns: Alfeld; Bott, Moore, Jensen, Ward; Cleverley, Millynn, Bowen; Rolston (Palmer, 90), Skilton (booked, 42) (O'Brien, 75), Lee (Pereira, 82)

Referee: Kirsi Heikkinen (Finland)

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