Mexico 031116

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Mexico 031116

Mexico Edge Junior Ferns, Who Had Their Chances

by Jeremy Ruane

Mexico edged New Zealand's Junior Ferns 1-0 at QBE Stadium on November 3, in the first of a two-match series between the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Finals contenders prior to their respective departures for Papua New Guinea.

Both teams fired snapshots at the target inside the first three minutes, with Maria Sanchez and Jade Parris responsible for pulling the respective triggers, after which Mexican goalkeeper Emily Alvarado had to be on her toes to thwart the charging figure of Paige Satchell, after she looked to take advantage of a ricochet in the fifth minute.

Five minutes later, the visitors went close to opening the scoring. Sanchez gave Sophie Stewart-Hobbs a torrid time throughout the first half in particular, and on this occasion she turned the fullback inside out before evading Issy Coombes' clutches and steering the ball into the stride of Bianca Solis, who controlled it before lashing a shot narrowly past the far post from ten yards.

The Junior Ferns looked to strike back through Daisy Cleverley, who flighted a couple of delightfully weighted free-kicks into the danger zone during the next ten minutes, the first of which Meikayla Moore should have made more of an effort to attack, given the proximity of herself to the ball, and the ball to goal.

On the twenty minute mark, Cleverley set off on a run downfield before releasing the full-of-running Satchell down the right. She was cleverly forced to the by-line by Mexican defender Rebeca Bernal, who earned her side a goal-kick through her management of Satchell's momentum - class defending.

Back came Mexico, who began to settle into their stride after this incident and proceeded to dictate terms - the Junior Ferns' half of the pitch was occupied far more often than was the Mexican portion, which was only sporadically raided by the Kiwi team as a result of the visitors taking charge of the midfield contest.

For all their efforts, however, the oft-animated coach Roberto Medina saw his team contrive just two more openings before the half-time whistle. The first came in the 22nd minute, when Bernal's free-kick from half-way saw Kiana Palacios get in behind Moore and set up Solis for a shot.

Her first effort was blocked by Liz Anton, while her second, a scooped attempt from eight yards, landed on the roof of Tessa Nicol's net, much to the relief of the Junior Ferns' defence, who had even more reason to heave a sigh of relief eleven minutes before half-time.

Sanchez was causing problems on the left once more, and got to the by-line before going past Cleverley as if she wasn't there, so feeble was the midfielder's challenge. The Mexican flanker then fizzed a low cross into the goalmouth which struck Moore and ricocheted inches past Nicol's right-hand post - it could just as easily have gone in.

Junior Ferns' coach Leon Birnie changed his team's tactics at half-time, and they were a much better proposition when matching the Mexicans' 4-4-2 formation. Just three minutes after the resumption of play, Stewart-Hobbs picked out Jasmine Pereira half-way inside Mexico's half, where she controlled the ball neatly before trying an audacious lobbed effort which landed on the roof of the net.

Half-time substitute Grace Jale swiftly slotted into midfield alongside Coombes, and they offered more resistance to a Mexican side which, while still having the better of things, was now being determinedly challenged by their hosts.

On the hour, Mexico were far from amused with referee Nadia Browning, who awarded a goal-kick when the ball had clearly come off Anton as she challenged Belen Cruz deep in the penalty area, following Nancy Antonio's corner to the far post.

Nadia Olla, who took over twixt the sticks from Nicol for the second half, took the resulting set-piece, linking with fellow half-time replacements Tayla Christensen and Jale, who sent a delicious pass into the stride of Martine Puketapu.

It allowed the striker to bust Mexico's offside trap, and the prospects of the Junior Ferns opening the scoring were high - with 107 goals to her name, 25 of them for her country, Puketapu has previous.

But on this occasion, she didn't use that experience, instead shooting early and wildly over the bar - a glorious opportunity, the sort you have to take when chances are at a premium in a big match such as this.

How Mexico punished the striker and her team-mates for that miss! In the 67th minute, Eva Gonzalez headed narrowly over the bar after Cruz had got the better of substitute Sammy Murrell on the right.

Two minutes later, Gonzalez was the provider, her corner deep to the far post being met by the rising figure of Solis, whose looping header arced over all-comers and crossed the line despite the best efforts of Morton to head it to safety.

Trailing by a goal, the Junior Ferns were keen to level the scores, and, led by captain Moore, they spurned a great chance to do so in the 77th minute. Driving out of defence, the skipper spread play wide to Pereira, whose angled ball into the penalty area invited Christensen to chance her arm.

She failed to control the sphere, however, and, six minutes later, thrashed another opening over the bar after cutting in off the left - another chance which demanded a cool head when the temptation to snatch at the opportunity often proves greater, and did this time round.

In between these efforts, Satchell had once more proven the value of her blistering pace, thwarting an Antonio raid near her own penalty area, then supporting a Pereira thrust down the right near the corner flag, all within a mere forty seconds. Once she consistently combines that speed with an end product which results in goals … wow!

Mexico sought a second goal before the end, with Olla kept busy by efforts from Sanchez and Antonio, the latter's attempt resulting from her drifting past two opponents before letting fly from twenty-five yards.

Olla then had to tip an inswinging corner from substitute Lilana Rodriguez - her first touch - over the bar in stoppage time, the last act of note in a match which Mexico edged by the odd goal, but which could just as easily have gone the other way had the Junior Ferns taken their opportunities.

Junior Ferns: Nicol (Olla, 46); Stewart-Hobbs (Murrell, 57), Moore, Anton, Morton; Cleverley (Jale, 46), Coombes (Steinmetz, 82), Parris (Christensen, 46); Satchell (Blake, 85), Puketapu, Pereira (booked, 54)

Mexico: Alvarado; D. Rodriguez, V. Flores, Bernal, P. Solis; Cruz (Evelyn Gonzalez, 87), Antonio, Eva Gonzalez, Sanchez (L. Rodriguez, 90); B. Solis (booked, 32) (Crowther, 70), Palacios (M. Flores, 83)

Referee: Nadia Browning

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