The Junior Ferns showed character aplenty against Switzerland on July 5, coming from two goals down to draw 2-2 with their fellow FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finalists at the Grasshoppers Club Campus Niederhasli in Dielsdorf. New Zealand began the match brightly in front of the 300-strong crowd, but fell behind after twenty minutes to a goal from SV Hamburg striker Ana Crnogorcevic. Central defender Chantal Fimian doubled Switzerland’s lead on the stroke of half-time to leave Yannick Schwery’s side in the box seat heading into the second spell. The Swiss had spent the past week in a training camp at the 55,000 m2 GC Campus facility, the largest of its kind in the country, and in the second half took the chance to give as many players as possible a run-out before they take on Korea Republic, the USA and Ghana in their World Cup group. Consequently, the beaten semi-finalists in the 2009 UEFA U-19 Women’s Championship somewhat lost their cohesion in the second spell, and Tony Readings’ charges took full advantage. Renee Leota, sporting the silver fern for the first time since the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Finals in Chile, marked her return to international duty with a 65th minute header from an Anna Green free-kick. Despite the best efforts of Fimian and captain Danique Stein, the Swiss defence at times sported more holes than the cheese for which the country is famous, and the Junior Ferns, buoyed by the goal, duly went for the jugular. Nine minutes from time, they drew level, Green again the architect. This time, the Junior Ferns captain picked out the head of Rosie White, and the teenage striking sensation gleefully plundered the leveller, her 21st goal in age-grade international women’s football. The Swiss, who kept their own towering talent, 2009 UEFA U-19 Golden Ball winner Ramona Bachmann, under wraps for the entire match, were grateful to hear the final whistle in the end, as the Kiwis finished with a wet sail and came close to pulling off a come-from-behind triumph. Instead, the 2-2 draw suggests some fine-tuning of their preparations is required, which means the non-cap-earning training engagement with Japan, in Augsburg at 4am Friday, NZ time, provides the perfect opportunity for Readings to finalise his plans ahead of the Junior Ferns’ quest to qualify for the quarter-finals of a FIFA Finals tournament for the first time in New Zealand’s history. Look out for a full preview of their FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Finals campaign later in the week, with captain Anna Green providing the good oil on New Zealand’s prospects against Sweden, North Korea and Brazil in the so-called "Group of Death". Switzerland:     Nathalie Schwery (Pascale Küffer, 46); Sarah Steinmann (Muriel Bouakaz, 46), Danique Stein, Chantal Fimian, Selina Kuster; Lia Wälti (Nadine Baker, 46), Vanessa Pittet (Michelle Probst, 46), Samira Susuri (Nicole Jaquemet, 90), Jehona Mehmeti (Cinzia Jörg, 60); Ana Crnogorcevic (Cora Canetta, 82), Lara Keller (Carolyn Mallaun, 73) Junior Ferns:     Erin Nayler; Hannah Wall, Briony Fisher, Bridgette Armstrong, Anna Green; Sarah McLaughlin (Hannah Wilkinson, 46) (Claudia Crasborn, 85), Nadia Pearl (Terri-Amber Carlson, 38), Annalie Longo (Lauren Mathis, 74), Betsy Hassett; Rosie White, Renee Leota Unused subs:     Victoria Esson, Liz Milne, Chelsey Wood, Emily Cooper, Julia Lynds, Lisa Kemp

Rosie White - tied up the scoreline Renee Leota - back with a goal Anna Green - creative captain Ana Crnogorcevic - Switzerland's leading striker