The Junior Ferns’ dreams of advancing to the quarter-finals of the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Finals in Japan turned into nightmares on the night of August 26, as they slumped to a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Mexico, who scored all their goals in the second half. The first half-hour saw a rather cagey affair unfolding, as the teams adapted to the 29C heat in the Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium. The first time Mexico touched the ball in the game was in the third minute, when Arianna Romero headed a Kate Loye free-kick over her own crossbar. Prior to that, the Junior Ferns had produced some fine possession play, an aspect of the game they maintained the upper hand in throughout the half, while having to be wary of Mexico’s ability to spring forward from midfield. The first evidence of this materialised in the eighth minute, when a stray pass from Bridgette Armstrong was pounced on by Mexican captain Nayeli Rangel, who sprayed the ball across field to Ariana Martinez dashing down the right. She scythed into the penalty area before unleashing a low drive which Erin Nayler parried to safety. After a thirty yard free-kick from Rosie White flew past the far post on the half-hour, the game noticeably livened up, with Mexico unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty from the resulting counter-attack. Martinez’s marauding run down the right culminated in a cross which clearly struck the arm of Armstrong in the penalty area, but Rumanian referee Teodora Albon turned a deaf ear to Mexican pleas for the chance to open the scoring from twelve yards. Armstrong made amends seconds later, releasing Hannah Wilkinson with an early ball forward which allowed the striker to power through a couple of challenges and lash a left-foot drive narrowly past the far post. That sparked New Zealand’s best attacking spell of the half, with Loye - she was working her socks off, as usual - linking with White and Rebecca Burrows before Katie Bowen pinged the ball forward to reward Loye’s off-the-ball running. She evaded two challenges before letting fly, straight at Mexican goalkeeper Cecilia Santiago in the 33rd minute. Three minutes later, a Bowen corner was punched out by Santiago to Olivia Chance, who was having a right old tussle throughout the half with Romero as she looked to gain an advantage down the left for the Junior Ferns. On this occasion, she was lurking just outside the penalty area, and unleashed a dipping volley which grazed the roof of Mexico’s net. The Mexican response to this was a couple of efforts of similar nature which had Nayler flailing in vain. The first, a thirty yard free-kick from Bianca Sierra, fizzed over the crossbar, while a sizzling twenty-five yarder from Natalia Gomez Junco three minutes before half-time grazed the top of the bar, with Nayler leaping in vain as the threat narrowly cleared her goal. Things started going pear-shaped for the Kiwis right at the start of the second spell, when, after the influential Jiminez had fired a twenty-five yarder narrowly wide of Nayler’s goal straight from the kick-off, the Mexicans opened the scoring in the 47th minute. Christina Murillo pinged the ball forward in the vain hope that Sofia Huerta’s pursuit of it would pay dividends. Burrows was always favourite to win the race, but as she eased up to allow the advancing figure of Nayler to gather the ball, the in-full-flight figure of Huerta raced past her and flicked the ball over the diving ‘keeper and into the untended net beyond. It was a genuine blow for the Junior Ferns, but not an insurmountable one - after all, a draw would be suffice to allow them to become the first New Zealand age-grade women’s team to progress to the knockout

Kate Loye - worked her socks off yet again Erin Nayler - more fine saves Hannah Wilkinson - fired narrowly past far post Olivia Chance - battle royal with Mexican fullback Rosie White - inconsolable after final whistle

stages of a FIFA Finals. However, there were two problems for the Kiwis. They had struggled to get within range of the posts defended by Santiago to date and, as the half progressed, they grew increasingly frustrated, and started conceding a raft of free-kicks. Wilkinson, in particular, was fortunate to escape a booking for persistent infringement, although there were occasions when referee Albon gave things the wrong way. But when White, in her capacity as captain, took the official up on the matter, she was punished by a yellow card - one of three brandished to Junior Ferns’ players in this match. And there was another problem - Mexico had their tails up, and fancied more goals. In the 65th minute, Gomez Junco supplied Martinez with a pass which allowed her to get past Armstrong and let fly. Nayler plunged to her right to parry the effort, with Holly Patterson dashing in to deal with the loose ball in uncompromising fashion. The Junior Ferns responded with a couple of chances in the next four minutes, with White - a teasing chip from an acute angle which Santiago greedily grabbed, following good work by Wilkinson and Patterson - and Burrows, who rattled the side-netting after Mexico failed to deal with Bowen’s free-kick, offering hope for the Kiwis. But they were dealt a devastating blow seventeen minutes from time when the Mexicans grabbed their second goal. A cleared free-kick found its way to Jiminez, who played the ball into the stride of fullback Romero. Her teasing angled cross found Gomez Junco dashing in behind the defence on the far post, and the midfielder’s downward header rendered the flying figure of Nayler helpless - 2-0. Now the Junior Ferns really needed something special to get back into the contest. But they had nothing left to give. And after Gomez Junco had twice more gone close - firstly with a rasping twenty yarder following a super solo run, then with a header from a Martinez corner which Burrows cleared off the line - the Kiwis were brought to their knees seven minutes from time. Martinez whipped in a corner which found the head of substitute Yamile Franco, whose bullet header rocketed past the diving figure of Nayler - 3-0. And three minutes later, after Nayler had grabbed a Martinez effort, the Mexicans administered the knock-out blow which broke the Junior Ferns’ hearts. Sierra fired in a free-kick from distance which Nayler, under pressure, could only punch out to the edge of her penalty area. Charging onto it was Jiminez, who steered a stunning drive into the top far corner of the net - 4-0. And so nearly a fifth goal a minute from time. After Wilkinson had landed a shot on the roof of Mexico’s net following good work by White and Katie Rood, the victors were denied a nap hand by the expertise of Nayler, who splendidly tipped over Rangel’s dipping piledriver after New Zealand’s chief tormentors, Jiminez and Martinez, had combined to create the chance. As Mexico celebrated their progress to the quarter-finals following the final whistle, there was no hiding the tears in the Junior Ferns’ camp. White, in particular, appeared inconsolable as the realisation that their own quarter-final dreams had been dashed by a nightmare final forty-five minutes at Japan 2012, a tournament in which the Kiwis had offered so much and played so well … ’twas not to be. Junior Ferns: Nayler; Patterson, Burrows, Armstrong (Skilton, 81), Ward (booked, 45) (Pearl, 63); Millynn (Rood, 75), Bowen (booked, 39), Loye; Wilkinson, White (booked, 71), Chance Mexico: Santiago; Romero, Murillo, Sierra, Miranda; Martinez, Jiminez, Gomez Junco, Rangel, Samarzich (Franco, 72); Huerta Referee: Teodora Albon (Rumania)