In their last match before departing for the Cyprus Cup in Europe, the Ferns displayed all the bite, aggression and passion missing from Wednesday night’s defeat but the Matildas made more of their chances with Heather Garriock breaking the deadlock, followed by second half goals to Lisa DeVanna and Leena Khamis.
While New Zealand failed to breach the Australian defence for the second game running, the increase in clear-cut and half chances created and an overall shift in confidence and execution gave New Zealand coach John Herdman some consolation.
“I was really impressed in the way our players responded to Wednesday and how they approached this game,” Herdman said.
“It was a good performance and a much better brand of football today but the difference was that the Australians were more clinical.
“I can’t fault the mentality or attitude of our players. I told them they were a bit gutless on Wednesday night but I certainly can’t say the same today.”
The Football Ferns started sharply with midfielder Katie Hoyle getting closer to her dogged best, and US-based fullback Ali Riley – captain in the absence of suspended Hayley Moorwood – a match for the Matildas’ winger Lisa De Vanna.
But poor marking at a 37th minute defensive free kick allowed Garriock to be first to the ball when Collette McCallum’s free kick rebounded off the cross bar and left the Ferns a goal down at the break.
Australia twisted the knife four minutes after halftime as De Vanna stole in behind the defence from a long Servet Uzunlar pass to make it 2-0, while substitute Khamis completed the scoring six minutes from time as Australia took advantage of the numerical advantage created when two Ferns were temporarily sidelined with injury to complete the scoring.
New Zealand’s best chance fell late to teenage substitute Hannah Wilkinson, whose injury time effort was cleared off the line, but the Ferns were denied a great chance to get back into the game when the score was 2-0, but referee Anne-Marie Keighley waived away Annalie Longo’s strong penalty claim for an Australian handball inside the area.
Hannah Wall fired a couple of shots over the cross bar and one firmly struck free kick straight at goalkeeper Lydia Williams while neither Longo and Betsy Hassett could quite stretch to make clean contact on the end of a pair of flowing moves midway through the second spell.
The Ferns depart on Sunday for the eight-team Cyprus Cup in the Mediterranean, hoping to emulate or improve on their top four finish last year. New Zealand’s tournament opens with a match against Italy on Thursday morning (NZT) with fixtures against the Netherlands and Scotland to round out pool play.
German based professional Rebecca Smith will link up with the squad in Nicosia and Herdman said the VfL Wolfsburg defender would help shore up the back four.
“Smith will come in and make a difference, as she’ll add an assured and settled presence to the side.”
“We’ve got the Italians first up in Cyprus, who beat the Aussies 5-1 in one game and drew 2-2 in the other but I can say that we’ll be ready and the result won’t be the same as today.”
Trans-Tasman Women’s Football Series
Bill McKinlay Park
Auckland
New Zealand: 0
Australia: 3 (Heather Garriock 37, Lisa DeVanna 49, Leena Khamis 84)
Halftime: 0-1
New Zealand: 1-Jenny BINDON (GK), 2-Ria PERCIVAL (10-Annalie LONGO 46), 3-Anna GREEN (12-Betsy HASSETT 57), 4-Katie HOYLE, 5-Abby ERCEG, 7-Ali RILEY (Captain), 9-Amber HEARN (16-Emma KETE 77), 11-Kirsty YALLOP (17-Hannah WILKINSON 87), 14-Rosie WHITE, 15-Hannah WALL, 18-Kristy HILL.
Substitutes not used: 13-Bridgette ARMSTRONG, 20-Aroon CLANSEY (RGK).
Unavailable: 8-Hayley MOORWOOD.
Coach: John Herdman
Cautions: Ria PERCIVAL
Australia: 18-Lydia Williams (GK), 4-Clare Polkinghorne (10-Kylie Ledbrook 69), 5-Lauren Colthorpe (27-Aivi Luik 76), 6-Servet Uzunlar, 7-Heather Garriock, 11-Lisa De Vanna (24-Tameka Butt 59), 12-Kathryn Gill (19-Leena Khamis 76), 14-Collette McCallum (Captain), 16-Elise Kellond-Knight, 17-Kyah Simon (22- Samantha Kerr 59), 23-Kim Carroll.
Substitutes not used: 1-Melissa Barbieri (RGK), 13-Thea Slatyer, 15-Sally Shipard.
Coach: Tom Sermanni
Cautions: Lauren Colthorpe, Lisa De Vanna
Story courtesy NZF Media