Successive 4-0 defeats in Paraguay have given New Zealand's Football Ferns a genuine reality check as they continue their preparations for the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Finals later this year. The Kiwis' latest reversal came at the hands of Premier League club Universidad Autonoma Asuncion, who scored twice in each half on their home ground on July 17 against a New Zealand squad boasting five players sidelined by illness or injury. Jessica Rollings and the team's captain, Briony Fisher, have been laid low by a virus while on tour, and goalkeeper Charlotte Wood (shoulder), Yumi Nguyen (shin) and Rosie White (knee) are all nursing injuries. The absence of Wood and Fisher, in particular, hurt the Young Ferns, as they make up half the team's “spine”. Victoria Esson took over twixt the sticks, making just her second start in goal after debuting in the second Junior Matildas mauling in April. Midfield dynamo Leah Gallie, meanwhile, was called upon to fill the void in central defence created by Fisher's absence, with twice-capped Football Fern Caitlin Campbell assuming the captaincy duties. Claudia Crasborn stepped into Gallie's role in the heart of midfield, while regular starters Rebecca Brown and Sarah McLaughlin sat out the match as coach Paul Temple took the opportunity to try out a couple of things with the World Cup Finals in mind. In the circumstances, he was pleased with the efforts of his makeshift combination, as he relayed to NZ Football. “I'm really proud of the way we

battled today. The girls worked really hard and it shows the team culture that players were brave enough to slot in to positions they weren't used to. “They didn't deserve that scoreline. A draw might have been a fair reflection but we pushed hard to get back in the game, took a few risks in the second half and got caught by two late goals to a deadly finisher in senior Paraguay international Dulce Cuevas, who completed her hat-trick in stoppage time”. That result, allied to Cerro Porteno's 2-1 defeat of the Paraguayan U-17 squad in the quadrangular tournament's other second round fixture, means all four teams go into Saturday morning's final round with the chance to win the event, given all have three points from two games. The two club teams clash in the opening match, while at 7am at the Estadio Manuel Ferreira del club Olimpia, the Young Ferns will endeavour to square the ledger against their Paraguayan counterparts, following Monday's hiding. “It's set up for an exciting finish”, said Temple. “This tour was all about replicating the group stage of a World Cup, so if we can beat Paraguay we'll finish at least second, which would be good enough for a quarterfinal in November. “We'll do what Kiwis do and battle hard to turn it around. The fact that the tournament's still up for grabs makes it a lot easier.” Line-up:  Victoria Esson; Caitlin Campbell, Bridgette Armstrong, Leah Gallie, Anna Fullerton (Kylie Jens, 46); Hannah Wall, Nadia Pearl, Katie Bowen (Megan Shea, 60), Claudia Crasborn (Lauren Mathis, 70); Annalie Longo, Lauren Murray