Anna Green challenges Karen Araya	Questionable Calls Help Chile Edge Junior Ferns by Jeremy Ruane	Abby Erceg chases Nathalie Quezada
New Zealand's Junior Ferns were denied the start they sought to their preparations for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Finals in Melipilla on September 17, as they were downed 2-1 by Chile in the opening round of a quadrangular tournament taking place at the Estadio Roberto Bravo Santibanez this week. The Junior Ferns' cause was far from aided by a number of highly contentious decisions from local referee Carolina Gonzalez and her team. The tone was set just five minutes into play, when Hannah Wall had what appeared to be a perfectly good goal ruled out for reasons which remain a mystery to the New Zealand squad. Soon after, Anna Green hit the post as the Junior Ferns dictated terms against their rivals, but with half-time approaching, referee Gonzalez deemed Daniela Zamora had been pushed in the penalty area. Up stepped Karen Araya to open the scoring from the spot in stoppage time. Two minutes after the resumption, Zamora rounded Junior Ferns goalkeeper Charlotte Wood but again went to earth a little too easily upon being faced by a challenge. The official's whistle shrilled again, however, and this time Nathalie Quezada did the honours from twelve yards. “We pretty much dominated the game, but the girls were really let down by poor officiating”, bemoaned a disappointed coach, John Herdman, afterwards. “Hopefully it won't happen at the World Cup”. What hopefully will happen is a repeat of some of the football New Zealand produced in this match, including Betsy Hassett's 58th minute goal, the midfielder following in to turn the ball home after Renee Leota's driven cross had been spilled by Chilean goalkeeper Daniela Fuenzalida. “You're seriously going to enjoy watching what this team has to offer”, enthused Herdman afterwards. “One-touch football, the confidence in individuals such as Rosie White, Annalie Longo and Hannah Wall to take on and beat opponents, and the level of maturity shown by the likes of Caitlin Campbell which is required to be successful at this level. “We started working with a group of twenty-six players, which we've reduced down to twenty-three. Eighteen of that group are on this tour, with the five players back home still vying for a spot in the 21-strong squad which we name for November's finals”. One player who is almost certain to be heading to her second FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Finals is Merissa Smith, who, ten minutes from time, was at the centre of the officials' most mystifying decision of the night. Giving her opponent a five-yard head start, she raced past the Chilean defender to find herself one-on-one	Hannah Wall - goal disallowed Betsy Hassett - goalscorer Merissa Smith - denied a penalty	with Fuenzalida, who felled the Football Ferns speed merchant inside the penalty area. Spot-kick, surely? Referee Gonzalez booked the goalkeeper for her part in proceedings, at which point her attention was drawn to the raised flag of one of her assistants - apparently, Smith was offside … “If Chile have been working together for two years and played the amount of games they have, it puts us in a great standing”, said Herdman after the match. “It's our first game together internationally as a group tonight so the only way is up for us. I'm not sure how much Chile can improve. I'm pretty happy with what we've put out there tonight, just disappointed with the result”. The Junior Ferns take on Canada from 9am on Friday, NZ time, opponents who downed Mexico 2-1 in the other fixture on the first day of the quadrangular event, thanks to first half goals from Tina Romagnuolo and Julie Armstrong. Canadian coach, Bob Birarda, sees the Kiwi combination as being tough to beat. “New Zealand is a very well organised, hard-working, athletic team that presents a different match-up than Mexico or Chile. It should be another great international test for us to change the way we look at our strengths and skills”. The Canucks' squad boasts, in midfielder Jonelle Filigno, a player whose last international assignment was at the Olympic Women's Football Tournament. Smith, Green, Leota, Ria Percival, Abby Erceg and New Zealand's captain against Chile, Katie Hoyle, know full well what that experience was like, and will be looking to make it count on Friday morning. “This tournament is a mix of trying to get a win and at the same time making sure we develop as a team and give players opportunity to play”, says Herdman, who has a fully fit squad at his disposal, including striker Sarah McLaughlin, who wasn't quite 100% before the Chile encounter so was rested as a precaution. “A couple of players will get an opportunity to play and again we'll play around with the system to see if we can get the right chemistry”. Chile:     Daniela Fuenzalida; Valentina Lefort, Tatiana Perez, Daniela Pardo, Geraldine Leyton; Christiane Endler, Juanita Pena, Maria Francisca Mardones, Daniela Zamora; Karen Araya, Nathalie Quezada Junior Ferns:     Charlotte Wood; Ria Percival, Abby Erceg, Liz Milne (Briony Fisher, 46), Anna Green; Katie Hoyle (Grace Vincent, 55), Annalie Longo (Caitlin Campbell, 46), Betsy Hassett, Hannah Wall; Renee Leota, Rosie White (Merissa Smith, 46) Unused substitutes:     Bridgette Armstrong, Victoria Esson, Sarah McLaughlin Referee:     Carolina Gonzalez