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Paraguay 2
Young Ferns Finish With A Flourish
by Jeremy Ruane
New Zealand's Young Football Ferns mounted a late fightback to earn a 1-1 draw against the host nation in the final match of their quadrangular tournament in Paraguay on July 19.
Trailing to a Karen Ruiz Diaz goal after just ten minutes, the Young Ferns battled away, and earned their reward eight minutes from time. Captain Briony Fisher picked out substitute Sarah McLaughlin with an angled through ball, and the striker lifted the sphere over advancing Paraguayan goalkeeper Zulma Orue before nipping round her to turn the ball home into an empty net.
The result against the Carlos Baez-coached U-17 Women's World Cup squad marked a welcome return to form for Paul Temple's charges, after 4-0 reversals in their previous matches at the hands of Paraguay - in a friendly - and the tournament's eventual winners, Universidad Autonoma Asuncion, who downed Cerro Porteno 2-0 in the day's other match.
Speaking to NZ Football following the encounter at the Estadio Manuel Ferreira del club Olympia, Temple praised the battling qualities of his young team. “It was a great reaction from the players after some tough results over here and the performance resembled our 1-1 draw with Korea with every player fighting tooth and nail”.
“I felt we deserved all three points given the way we dominated territory and possession throughout the match and even at the end we were still creating chances to win it.
“It was hard to keep the rhythm of the game with all the drama and playacting from the Paraguayans, but that gamesmanship is a good sign that they felt we had control of the game”.
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The match, and tour in general, provided the Young Ferns with a thorough grounding in the ways and wiles of South American football, meaning they'll go into their clash with Columbia, at the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Finals on November 4 in Wellington, well versed in what to expect from the South American champions.
“It's been absolutely invaluable in regards to preparing for Colombia”, says Temple. “We've learnt a lot about how to deal with South American players. There could have been a lot of surprises come November but we've got those out of the way and go into the game knowing what to expect.
“It's going to be a really tough fixture but on a level playing field with FIFA officials and a nice pitch, it'll become more about the game than the conditions”.
At the presentation ceremony following the tournament, the New Zealand delegation was presented with a commemorative plaque by Paraguay's Director of Women's Football, Eduardo Poletti.
Paraguay: Zulma Orue, Erika Rolón, Paola Genes, Mabel Flowers, Noelia Caves, Jaqueline González, Ana Fleitas, Evelyn Armoa, Mara Talavera, Karen Ruíz Diaz, Gloria Villamayor
Young Ferns: Victoria Esson; Caitlin Campbell, Briony Fisher, Bridgette Armstrong, Rebecca Brown; Leah Gallie, Nadia Pearl (Jessica Rollings, 70), Lauren Mathis; Annalie Longo, Lauren Murray (Sarah McLaughlin, 63), Hannah Wall (Claudia Crasborn, 75)
Unused subs: Katie Bowen, Anna Fullerton, Kylie Jens, Megan Shea
Unavailable: Yumi Nguyen, Rosie White, Charlotte Wood
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