USA U19s 170616

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USA U19s 170616

Junior Ferns And USA U19s Produce Eight-Goal Thriller

by Jeremy Ruane

A last-gasp equaliser from Emma Rolston secured the Junior Ferns a well-earned 4-4 draw from a thrilling opening international against the USA U19 women's team at QBE Stadium on June 17.

The first act in a lively encounter saw Mikayla Wieblitz lash a thirty-yarder over the bar after Jade Parris had won possession well in midfield, an early inkling that the Junior Ferns were well up for the first of two encounters against the Americans as they step up their preparations for the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup Finals in Papua New Guinea in November.

Paige Satchell's pace was a constant problem for Jitka Klimkova's side, who also survived early handball claims against Ally Prisock on the edge of her penalty area. In the ninth minute, Satchell's acceleration created an opening for Jasmine Pereira to exploit on the left, from where she cut and fired a deflected shot which required Samantha Leshnak to smother to her left as Martine Puketapu looked on.

More Satchell speed inspired another opening five minutes later, this time for Wieblitz, who evaded a challenge before battering a twenty-five yarder inches over the crossbar, much to Leshnak's relief.

However, the 'keeper's resulting goal-kick was a shocker, much to Pereira's delight. She swiftly surged forward past two opponents before slipping a reverse pass into the stride of the unmarked Puketapu, who afforded Leshnak no chance from ten yards.

Conceding the opening goal sparked the USA into life, with Holly Daugirda inspiring a splendid counter-attack down the right, with assistance from Cyera Hintzen. The overlapping fullback whipped in a low cross into the danger zone which Daisy Cleverley crazily attempted to back-heel to safety.

Needless to say, this wasn't a clever idea, as the ball landed invitingly for Shannon Simon to move onto. But Liz Anton was in close attendance, and as a result the Junior Ferns were able to clear their lines on this occasion.

The USA continued to press, however, attacking via Ella Stevens down the left four minutes later. Her attempt to pick out the head of Hintzen with her cross was thwarted by Tessa Nicol, who commanded her penalty area well on this occasion.

But the visitors came again seconds later, earning a corner which captain Jordan DiBiasi whipped to the far post. Rising unmarked was Simon, who guided her unchallenged header through the gathered throngs and into the far corner of the net to level the scores after twenty minutes.

Sarah Morton was not having a game she will remember fondly, and five minutes later she was beaten by Simon, who promptly played Marissa Everett in on the right. Her angled ball inside looked to reward the fine blindside run which Hintzen made in behind Anton, but there was just too much on the pass, much to Nicol's relief.

Further USA pressure followed, with a 31st minute corner from DiBiasi being headed clear by Anton. Immediately, referee Ben Hill blew his whistle and pointed to the penalty spot, deeming that the defender had used an opponent's shoulders to soar skywards.

Suffice to say the Junior Ferns were far from amused by the decision of the rookie official, whose first international this was - after one Lotto Northern Premier Women's League game and one other Northern League game, by the by. Stevens wasn't complaining, and duly fired the USA in front in the 32nd minute, sending Nicol the wrong way from twelve yards.

The Junior Ferns' defensive partnership of Anton and Meikayla Moore endured a fair few nervous moments throughout this encounter, but between them they managed to stifle the progress of Hintzen and Simon five minutes before half-time, sparking a counter-attack.

Moore linked with Cleverley, who combined with Pereira to play in Puketapu. Her first-time shot was parried by Leshnak but not cleared, allowing Puketapu to regain possession and drive deep into the penalty area before unleashing another shot, which ricocheted off the legs of a defender straight to Pereira, who gleefully rammed home the rebound - 2-2.

Immediately the USA stormed downfield, DiBiasi stinging Nicol's gloves with a twenty-five yarder before the 'keeper was forced to turn a rasping Simon drive round the post. From the resulting corner, Hintzen had a goal disallowed, having been deemed to have fouled Nicol in the goalmouth.

The lively nature of the first 45 minutes continued in the early stages of the second half, with both Puketapu and Everett going close, although the New Zealand striker's attempt was the only one which required saving.

Cue a vital tackle by Moore, necessary to hinder Hintzen's progress as she latched onto an early ball through from Prisock which stretched the Junior Ferns' defence to the limit. Their captain's intervention allowed them to survive this 49th minute opening, while sixty seconds later it was Nicol's turn to deny the USA, adjusting her positioning well to pull off a super save as she

tipped a fiercely struck drive from Everett over the bar.

Still the visitors pressed, Anton's failure to clear a Stevens pass allowing Hintzen to rattle Nicol's right-hand stanchion with another piledriver in the 54th minute, to which the Junior Ferns responded two minutes later via an enterprising move featuring Sophie Stewart-Hobbs, Cleverley, Issy Coombes and Pereira, who beat a defender well before inviting Parris to let fly.

Leshnak kept out this attempt, but was powerless to prevent Parris from regaining the lead for the Junior Ferns in the 61st minute. Puketapu won the ball in midfield, and away dashed Satchell down the right, her pace taking her clear of all-comers before she drew the 'keeper to the near post and slipped the ball across goal. Parris was flying in - she doesn't miss from there!

3-2 to New Zealand, but you just knew there were more goals in this game, and the next one wasn't far away. Straight from the kick-off, Hintzen took advantage of a mix-up between Moore and Anton, only to fire tamely at Nicol.

The Junior Ferns responded with a delightful move, with Cleverley and Parris combining to release Satchell down the right at a great rate of knots. This time she clipped in a cross to the near post which Pereira hurtled in to meet, only to find that Leshnak had grabbed the ball a split-second prior to her arrival.

The USA weren't taking the scoreboard lightly, and piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser. They nearly had it when Nicol sliced her clearance in the 67th minute, but Hintzen's snapshot landed on the roof of the net.

From the resulting goal-kick, however, parity was restored. Nicol's goal-kick was a poor one, and Mallory Eubanks took full advantage, slipping the ball into the stride of Hintzen, who this time produced an unerring finish to level the scores and earn the scorer the goal her performance fully merited.

Helter-skelter fare followed, Anton thwarting the charging figure of Simon before Satchell invited substitute Hannah Blake to evade a challenge and let fly. Her shot deflected off a defender and past both Leshnak and the far post, but a goal-kick was the outcome.

Thirteen minutes from time, Nicol smothered an Everett effort after the eye-catching Daugirda had caught substitute Sammy Murrell in possession on the left. This sparked a spree of substitutions by both teams, amidst which Stewart-Hobbs produced a desperate goal-line clearance five minutes from time to thwart Everett, after a DiBiasi corner hadn't been dealt with by the New Zealand defence.

Into stoppage time in a contest which neither side deserved to lose, and US substitute Elizabeth Braby sold Coombes a dummy of such outrageous quality that the Kiwi midfielder was still moving towards the US half when Braby was accelerating towards the Junior Ferns goal, ultimately earning her team a corner.

DiBiasi's delivery was fumbled at the near post by Nicol, the ball rebounding off the post to the feet of Tierna Davidson, who gleefully stabbed home what must surely be, at 4-3 to the USA in stoppage time, the matchwinner.

But there was still time for the Junior Ferns to level the scores, and with virtually the last kick of the game, they did so. Substitute Tayla Christensen worked a short corner then fired in a low cross which struck the near post.

The ball rebounded into the goalmouth, and amid the ensuing scramble, Grace Jale spotted Rolston lurking unmarked beyond the far post and duly lobbed the ball across to her fellow replacement, who rammed home a dramatic leveller to conclude a thrilling 4-4 draw between two well-matched sides in fitting fashion. Roll on Sunday's return.

Jnr Ferns: Nicol; Stewart-Hobbs, Moore, Anton, Morton (Murrell, 39); Wieblitz (Coombes, 43), Cleverley, Parris (Jale, 70); Satchell (Christensen, 87), Puketapu (Rolston, 82), Pereira (Blake, 64)

USA U19s: Leshnak; Daugirda, Prisock, Davidson, Horgan (Jaworski, 76); DiBiasi, Simon (Dewaal, 82), Stevens (Hill, 66); Everett, Hintzen, Eubanks (Braby, 70)

Referee: Ben Hill

NB It's a crying shame that more folk won't be on hand to see Sunday's return encounter, as that day's round of Lotto Northern Premier Women's League matches hasn't been deferred by those who could have done so.

League management should have far been more pro-active and decisive in their handling of the situation once this series of international fixtures was announced, but opted to do nothing, leaving us with the crazy situation of an international taking place at the same time as scheduled league matches in the country's foremost women's club league.

No prizes for guessing which should have the highest priority. It leaves you wondering if some of those in positions of authority in football actually have the game's best interests at heart when they make a decision - or opt not to, as on this occasion.

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