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Junior Ferns Conclude PNG Preparations With Win

by Jeremy Ruane

New Zealand's Junior Ferns completed their preparations for the upcoming FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Finals in style at Centre Park on October 30, humbling the host nation of the tournament, Papua New Guinea, 8-0.

As the scoreline suggests, Nadia Olla was little troubled by her opponents, who found themselves unable to contain the force of nature that is Jasmine Pereira, the scorer of four goals in twenty first half minutes in this encounter, the attendance for which was affected by a long-arranged National Women's League fixture taking place across town at the same time.

Her first came in the eleventh minute, following a cross from Sammy Murrell, while four minutes later, Pereira was on hand to tuck home the rebound after Lace Kunei had spilled Eileish Hayes' probing ball forward.

Pereira completed an eight-minute hat-trick in the nineteenth minute with a shot which sailed in over Kunei's head, while after Paige Satchell and Tayla Christensen had inspired attacks without reward, the former was instrumental in setting up her Three Kings United team-mate for the game's fourth goal, in the 31st minute.

The free-scoring Pereira was then denied by both the crossbar and Kunei inside the next five minutes, before Grace Jale brought about some variation to the theme of the day, thumping home New Zealand's fifth goal eight minutes before half-time.

Satchell and Christensen both went close to building on that before Olla was finally called into action on the stroke of half-time, thwarting Jacklyne Maiyosi at the end of a half in which Ramona Padio had been the only other Papua New Guinean to threaten.

The latter continued to be PNG's prime source of inspiration early in the second spell, without threatening, unlike half-time substitute Jade Parris, who took just sixteen minutes to make her mark on the scoreboard with the Junior Ferns' sixth goal.

Inside the next ten minutes, fellow substitutes Emma Rolston and Martine Puketapu looked to get in on the act, the latter eventually succeeding

nineteen minutes from time with a long-range effort.

Pereira's bid to score her 22nd goal of this Junior Ferns campaign - this in seven appearances - saw her head over from Issy Coombes' cross thirteen minutes from time, soon after which PNG substitute Esmerelda Waipo stung the gloves of Olla as the visitors sought a consolation goal.

There was another goal still to come, but it was the PNG net which bulged once more, with Hannah Blake wrapping up the scoring just prior to Puketapu's stoppage time effort missing the target by an ever-decreasing margin.

It was a good work-out for both teams, with Leon Birnie's squad set to add Jacqui Hand to their ranks this week, the Young Fern - one of five to back up from Jordan 2016 - having been called in to replace the injured Juliana Los.

She joins ACL victim Mikayla Wieblitz in having missed out on the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Finals through injury, both having been among the initial 21-strong squad named for PNG 2016 when it was named on October 13.

PNG play two further matches on their tour, against a NZ Development Squad at McLennan Park in Papakura. The first match takes place on Wednesday at 7.15pm, with the second at 7pm on Saturday.

The Junior Ferns take on Ghana at 10pm on November 14 in their first match at the Finals, followed by further group matches against the USA (10pm, Nov 17) and France (7pm, Nov 21). All matches in the Finals are taking place in Port Moresby.

Junior Ferns: Olla; Morton, Hayes (Anton, 46), Moore, Murrell; Steinmetz (Parris, 46), Jale (Blake, 63), Coombes; Satchell (Rolston, 63), Pereira, Christensen (Puketapu, 46)

PNG: Kunei (Hula, 46); Joseph, Nake, Unamba (Waipo, 58), Ageva; Mato (Icarl, 83), Giada, Padio (Bani, 89), Manup (Gabong, 83), Laeli; Maiyosi

Referee: Charles Nathnagel

Project PNG 2016