New Zealand's Young Ferns contested a four-nation NTC invitational tournament in Carson, California, in the early days of February, a key component of their preparations for March's FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Finals in Costa Rica. The USA hosted three of the nations which have qualified for the Finals - the tournament hosts failed to progress from the CONCACAF qualifying competition themselves. The tournament proved a big step-up for Jitka Klimkova's squad, whose last international experiences saw them lose a three-match series to Australia on home turf in July last year. The Young Ferns were given a rude awakening in the first game of the tournament, finding themselves three goals down to Japan after just twenty-one minutes of their clash at the Glenn "Mooch" Myernick Field. Rikako Koboyashi gave the Asian giants a seventh minute lead, then turned provider for Yui Hasegawa to lead the celebrations ten minutes later. Hina Sugita, who set up the opening goal, joined in the fun in the 21st minute - contest over. Meika Nishida, just shy of the hour mark, and Asato Miyagawa, whose goal was inspired by half-time substitute Fumika Yamashita fourteen minutes from time, wrapped up the scoring on a day the USA also won in style, 4-0 over China in the later game. Line-up v. Japan: Emma Fulbrook; Geena Gross (Sophie Stewart-Hobbs, 46), Karin Ingram, Liz Anton, Hanna English; Isabella Richards, Daisy Cleverely (Whitney Hepburn, 68), Issy Coombes (Lucy Stotter, 82); Emily Oosterhof (Sarah Morton, 46), Martine Puketapu (Jade Parris, 68), Tayla Christensen (Paige Satchell, 68) Two days later, the Young Ferns acquitted themselves far better against the USA, although they owed a debt to goalkeeper Emma Fulbrook in restricting the host nation to a 2-0 win. She made nine saves in a match which saw the Americans open the scoring in the 26th minute.

Dorian Bailey and Taylor Racioppi combined to present Mallory Pugh with the chance to score her third goal of the tournament, one she lashed into the top left-hand corner of the net. The Young Ferns, who missed Martine Puketapu through illness and lost Whitney Hepburn to an ankle injury in the second spell, enjoyed their fair share of possession, but failed to fire a shot of note in a match decided twenty minutes from time. Substitute Michelle Xiao stripped an opponent of possession thirty yards from goal and surged forward before supplying the pass from which Zoe Redei clinched the USA's winning margin. Line-up v. USA: Fulbrook; Stewart-Hobbs, Hope Gilchrist, Anton, English; Hepburn (Coombes, 70), Cleverley (Stotter, 83), Deven Jackson (Richards, 46); Satchell (Oosterhof, 70), Parris, Christensen (Morton, 46) China, the Young Ferns' final opponents, held Japan to a scoreless draw in the other encounter on Matchday Two, an indication that another hard game was in store for Jitka Klimkova's charges on the final day of a tournament won by the USA, who downed Japan 2-1 to take the honours. The Young Ferns enjoyed no such success, however, trounced 5-1 by a Chinese side who benefited from a number of errors by the New Zealand team which levelled the scores via Jade Parris' free-kick midway through the first half. Line-up v. China: Emily Hanrahan; Gross (Ingram, 75), Gilchrist, Anton, English (Christensen, 15); Stotter (Coombes, 46), Cleverley, Richards (Jackson, 70); Satchell, Parris, Morton With Finals encounters against Paraguay, Spain and Japan facing them in March, this writer fears that this squad could end up on the wrong end of a couple of shellackings in Costa Rica. One always hopes for the best, but one also needs to face reality, and frankly, there are nowhere near enough players in this squad with the quality to ensure New Zealand is competitive in these Finals - six at most. I hope I'm wrong, but ...