Despite producing their best performance of the tournament, the Young Ferns were held to a 1-1 draw by host nation the Dominican Republic at the Cibao FC Stadium in Santiago de Los Caballeros on October 19, a tactical blunder by coach Alana Gunn leaving her team needing to beat Ecuador in their final group game if they harbour hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Finals. "Las Quisqueyanas" had clearly been studying the Young Ferns' performance against Nigeria, because they began on the front foot via a couple of shots from distance. The charging Ava Barker pulled the trigger after just 72 seconds, while a long-range Natalie Bruno free-kick followed three minutes later. Neither troubled Sophie Campbell, however, New Zealand having changed their goalkeeper after Brooke Neary's less than memorable display in the opening game of the tournament. Indeed, following the latter effort Campbell sparked a swift Kiwi counter-attack which saw Katie Pugh send Grace Bartlett down the left. She got past Leoneidy Sano in the penalty area and let fly, her shot ricocheting off Renata Mercedes and crashing against the crossbar. The ball rebounded to Maddison Sawkins, whose shot was grabbed by Jaylene Rondon. The host nation were gifted another chance in the ninth minute, Charli Dunn presenting the ball on a silver platter to Barker, who looked to play in Alexa Castro. Hannah Saxon spared Dunn's blushes with a timely interception, then combined with Pia Vlok, Bartlett and Pugh six minutes later to set up a chance for Amber De Wit, whose shot was blocked by Livia De Leon. That was the signal for the Young Ferns to take charge of proceedings. Within a minute, Sawkins played a raking ball in behind the defence for Pugh, whose progress was halted by Mercedes but at the expense of a corner, which Ela Jerez delivered into the danger zone. Dunn sent a header flying across the face of goal. In the twentieth minute, a driving run forward by Mikaela Bangalan culminated in a pass to Bartlett which allowed her to do Sano a treat. The attacker worked her way into the penalty area before unleashing a shot which Rondon could only parry. De Leon was on hand to clear the danger, but the Young Ferns were far from finished with their attacking intentions. Dunn played the ball forward towards Jerez in the 22nd minute, the winger's clever dummy allowing Sawkins, running beyond her, to latch onto the ball and fizz in a driven cross. The Dominican Republic scrambled this threat to safety, then gifted the Young Ferns a great chance to open the scoring when Mercedes took out Bangalan twenty-five yards from goal in the 26th minute. Jerez was wasteful with the set-piece, however, then repeated the feat eight minutes later, chipping the ball into Rondon's gloves from the same distance after Bartlett had again taken Sano to the cleaners. In between times, Vlok had pounced on a loose ball and evaded a couple of challenges before seeing her shot blocked by Mercedes. The Young Ferns kept on coming, however, Vlok and De Wit particularly prominent in their efforts to drive New Zealand forward. Five minutes before half-time, Rondon grabbed a Bangalan attempt, while four minutes later the goalkeeper directed a clearance straight to Jerez, who played in Pugh ten yards from goal. She failed to control the ball, however - a glorious chance to score what would have been a richly deserved goal for the black-clad Kiwis. Right on half-time, Saxon sent Vlok surging through the inside-left channel. Into the penalty area she charged, only for Mercedes to once more thwart her opponent's attempt to open the scoring - she was immense at the heart of the Dominican Republic's rearguard. The crossbar denied New Zealand in their first attack of the second spell, Sawkins and Dunn working a one-two before bringing Jerez into play. She evaded a challenge before unleashing a dipping twenty-yarder which beat Rondon but not the woodwork in the 49th minute. The host nation responded three minutes later via Jaimaris Diaz, but Alyssha Eglinton swiftly snuffed

out the threat posed by the substitute, who featured again in the 56th minute, nutmegging Sawkins, only to be thwarted by Jerez. An appeal for a penalty proved fruitless - how could Japanese referee Asaka Koizumi even contemplate such an option when Diaz wasn't even fouled? The on-trial video review system, where teams get two chances to appeal decisions, worked well. What passed for normal service to this point soon resumed, with New Zealand winning a corner on the hour. Jerez's delivery was met by Saxon, whose header from six yards was superbly tipped over the bar by Rondon. It was only delaying the inevitable, however, and within sixty seconds the Young Ferns were in front. Jerez's corner was right in the zone again, the ball ricocheting goalwards off Mercedes. Saxon nipped in to make sure, but was denied a second goal of the tournament, an "oggie" the official ruling from on high. Jerez saw her curling cross grabbed by Rondon soon after, the winger's last act of the match, as coach Gunn withdrew her from the fray. As tactical substitutions go, this was an absolute disaster, because Jerez had been tying up two players, thus severely restricting the Dominican Republic's ability to influence proceedings. Without the talented winger on the pitch, however … needless to say, the host nation wasted little time in exploiting the opening handed to them by their opponents' coach, and levelled the scores just seven minutes after going behind on the scoreboard. Bruno chased down a lost cause to earn a corner. Emma Torres Brache's delivery wasn't cleared, allowing Yuleinis Brito to volley home from eight yards - 1-1, and the stadium erupted, with the natives rejoicing as the host nation drew level. The Young Ferns looked to bounce back via Bartlett, who roasted Sano once again twenty minutes from time. Her cross was just too high for Laura Bennett to capitalise upon, however, while a shot from Bartlett soon after was saved by Rondon. Cue incessant Dominican Republic pressure, which began when Dunn was caught in possession in the penalty area by Barker, who then nutmegged the defender. Saxon again spared Dunn's blushes with a timely clearance. A string of corners followed, mostly conceded by Eglinton, whose efforts did much to ensure that Campbell was little troubled by the host nation's players. Indeed, she had just one save to make in the remainder of the contest, keeping out Camila de la Carcova's free-kick in stoppage time. In between times, the Young Ferns had given the hosts a few more scares, the first of them coming via a Natalie Young-led counter-attack ten minutes from time. Bennett was the beneficiary, but her attempted lob of Rondon cleared the crossbar. Soon after, Dunn's ball forward was missed by Sano - she had a game to forget, which allowed the indefatigable Bangalan to get in on the left. The pint-sized midfield powerhouse took a heck of a lot of punishment in this match, but kept bouncing back, and on this occasion should have won the game. But her 88th minute shot was directed straight at Rondon, who was relieved to see Eglinton's header from six yards miss the target in stoppage time, after Dunn's free-kick had picked out her fellow central defender. When the final whistle sounded, the Dominican Republic was understandably delighted - their first point at any FIFA World Cup Finals. The Young Ferns were disappointed, and rightly - this was a game they should have won, and would have done but for a frankly bonkers substitution which ultimately cost them three points and has severely reduced their hopes of advancing to the next round - only a win against Ecuador will do if that is to happen. Dom. Rep.:     Rondon; Sano, Mercedes, De Leon, Algarin; Brito, Bruno (Jimenez, 82), Torres Brache (Martinez, 71); Castro (Diaz, 46 (booked, 90)), Barker, Abreu (De La Carcova, 62) Young Ferns:     Campbell; Sawkins, Dunn (booked, 85), Eglinton, Saxon; Vlok (Morgan, 59), Bangalan, De Wit (Young, 46); Jerez (Bennett, 64), Pugh (Chellenbron, 64), Bartlett (Brown, 82) Referee:     Asaka Koizumi (Japan)