New Zealand's Under-20 Women's team kicked off their quest to qualify as Oceania's representative at August's FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup in satisfactory fashion today, scoring four second half goals to down the Solomon Islands 4-0 at the Toleafoa JS Blatter Football Fields in Apia, Samoa. The Kiwi women were frustrated throughout the first spell by a stubborn Solomons defensive effort, although they created a fair few chances to break the deadlock. Goalkeeper Linda Seda thwarted Emma Humphries in a one-on-one situation in the tenth minute, with the Solomons' shot-stopper grabbing a close-range effort from Renee Leota soon afterwards, as she looked to hook home following a Ria Percival corner which Hannah Rishworth and Kirsty Yallop flicked into her path. The striker was involved again in the sixteenth minute, Leota the recipient of a lovely touch from Yallop. She played the ball inside for Annalie Longo, who jinked through three challenges before lashing a twenty-yarder narrowly past the post. Ali Riley then chanced her arm from distance, stinging Seda's gloves in the process. Yallop then chanced her arm from long-range to no avail, before the Kiwis came as close as possible to breaking the deadlock, twenty minutes into the match. Abby Erceg released Sarah Gregorius down the right, and the speedster whipped in a gorgeous cross for Leota. The striker's first-time effort left Seda beaten all ends up, but cannoned back into play off the inside of the post. The Solomons cleared this threat, and posed one of their own just shy of the half-hour, following a harsh call against the Kiwis - by no means the first nor the last! - by referee Salaulau Sonsongan. The resulting free-kick was delivered into the goalmouth by Rose Gwali, and picked out Layda Samani. But a timely tackle from Hannah Rishworth thwarted the danger, much to New Zealand's relief. The Kiwis' response saw Yallop release the overlapping Ria Percival with a peach of a through ball, only for the full-back to shoot straight at Seda in the 32nd minute. Five minutes on, Leota rattled the crossbar with a rasping twenty yarder, following good work on the left by Riley. And six minutes before the interval, a short free-kick routine saw Humphries' effort fly past the post from just outside the penalty area. It was a frustrating half for John Herdman's team, with patience being the watchword. The goals would come, and once one went in, you could count on another three or four following soon afterwards. Sure enough ... Two minutes into the second spell, Humphries got to the byline and pulled the ball back for Gregorius, whose shot on the turn clipped the crossbar. Two minutes later, Longo lifted a close-range effort over the bar after Yallop had orchestrated the opening with help from Gregorius. The breakthrough finally came in the 51st minute. Percival's corner picked out Rishworth's timed run to the near post, the defender's header bulleting across Seda and into the net by the far post, much to the delight of both the scorer and the team-mates who engulfed her. Three minutes later, Longo, Erceg, Rishworth and Yallop carved open the still-reeling Solomons, presenting Gregorius with a chance which she fired straight at Seda. Another eight minutes were to elapse

Hannah Rishworth heads home the opening goal      Renee Leota and Ali Riley in full flight Sarah Gregorius hits the crossbar The bench looks on as Petria Rennie fires in a cross

before New Zealand's next chance, and this time, celebrations followed again. Longo rewarded Percival's break down the left with a measured pass, which the overlapping full-back exploited to the fullest. She whipped in a cross - at least, it was intended as a cross. But Seda could only look on in horror as the trajectory of the ball saw it arc over her head and crash into the net off the far post - 2-0. Within a minute, the game's third goal had been registered, Erceg picking out half-time substitute Petria Rennie - later to succumb to cramp in the fierce heat - with a pass which allowed the fullback to pick out Riley, who had begun the game at left-back but was now leading the line in attack. Her darting run to the near post created the chance, and her finish left the Solomons with no way back. Three minutes later, Gregorius chased a lost cause and was almost rewarded when Seda fumbled Percival's through ball. The striker had the devil's own luck in this match, however, clipping the crossbar with this shot as well. She spurned another opening two minutes later, Erceg and Humphries combining to release the speedster, three defenders pursuing her furiously. They still couldn't prevent Gregorius from getting in a shot, but it was fired at Seda, much to the shooter's frustration. Ten minutes from time, New Zealand potted a fourth goal. Hoyle pinged a lovely pass through for Humphries, whose first-time cross was volleyed home by Percival, arriving at pace on the far post - easily the best goal of the game, in terms of the quality of its creation and execution. Seconds later, Longo looked to give the Kiwi team a nap hand as she took on the tiring Solomons defence single-handedly. She did everything right after waltzing through four challenges, but Seda managed to get down to thwart her placed finish at the second attempt. Two minutes on, and Yallop was at the heart of another fine move, weaving intricate patterns with Emma Harrison and Humphries which left the Solomons' rearguard in all sorts of bother. Yallop's pull-back from the by-line was an invitation to score, but Gregorius didn't even get the chance to pull the trigger - Seda stepped in to foil the threat. It just wasn't meant to be for Gregorius. Prior to heading powerfully wide following Harrison's good work in the 86th minute, she lifted an effort over the bar from eighteen yards after Hoyle and Harrison had prised open the Solomons' defences once more. 4-0 was New Zealand's lot, however, a satisfactory afternoon's work in the eyes of coach John Herdman. "I'm happy to get the win, and to get through the first game. We scored a good number of goals to press home our intentions to our rivals. "Our biggest worry, the heat, hasn't affected us. We had a couple of illness issues, however, with Caitlin Campbell forced out before kick-off, and Renee Leota coming off at half-time. And Petria Rennie went off with cramp, though she should recover quickly". New Zealand:  Cox; Percival, Erceg, Rishworth, Riley (Bromley, 67); Hoyle, Yallop, Longo; Gregorius, Humphries, Leota (Rennie, 46) (Harrison, 74) Solomons:  Seda; Daudau, Gwali, Galo, Masae, Heslyn; Rimo, Maelaua (booked, 76), Belo; Samani, Inifiri (Tahiri, 46) Referee:  Salaiau Sonsongan