The tenth ranked Korea DPR side took a 43rd minute lead which the New Zealand team – ranked 16th in the world – were unable to overturn.
Thursday’s loss is just the second time the Football Ferns have recorded back-to-back defeats in a span of 14 games dating back to the London Olympics in July 2012.
For the second time in the space of 48 hours, Football Ferns coach Tony Readings took heart from a performance that merited more than it got in result terms.
“In many respects it was similar to the first game,” Readings said, “we controlled possession and dictated play without converting that pressure into goals.
“We did create a few more chances this time but were unable to put them away and we got caught on a sucker punch when we gave the ball away in our defensive third and weren’t able to regroup in time.”
Although Readings says the players in the squad are annoyed with the last two results, the team will not deviate from their planned focus areas in their third and final match of the tournament on Saturday against Mexico.
“The players are frustrated. They know they’ve been the better team in both games but have come out on the wrong end of the result.
“But we’ve got our objectives and we want to keep developing our attacking play.
“We’re looking at the bigger picture which is heading towards the Olympics in Rio in 2016, so we’ll just take the great learnings from this game and move forwards.”
Forward movement is something the Football Ferns have become experts in with Thursday’s result representing a dramatic improvement from the last clash of the two sides; won 11-0 by Korea DPR in 2004 in Brisbane.
“The team have developed a massive amount since then,” Readings said.
“If you look at the performance today, we can be dominant against a top ten side in the world and if you go back to 2004, we would have struggled to keep the ball and we would have been hanging on.
“That shows how far this team has come.”
Several individual milestones were reached on Thursday as defender Abby Erceg became the most-capped senior international women’s player in New Zealand history, playing in her 91st ‘A’ international match, moving one ahead of Hayley Bowden. Meanwhile, striker Hannah Wilkinson earned her 50th senior cap in the loss.
The New Zealand side complete their tournament with Saturday night’s clash with 25th ranked Mexico (10pm, NZ time).
Women’s Invitational Tournament – China
New Zealand 0
Korea DPR 1
Halftime: 0-1
New Zealand: 1. Erin Nayler (GK), 2.Ria Percival, 4. Katie Hoyle, 5. Abby Erceg (capt), 6. Rebekah Stott, 9. Amber Hearn, 10. Sarah Gregorius, 12. Betsy Hassett, 16. Annalie Longo, 17. Hannah Wilkinson, 18. Katie Bowen
Substitutes: 3. CJ Bott, 11. Kirsty Yallop, 13. Rosie White, 15. Meikayla Moore, 19. Evie Millynn, 20. Helen Collins, 21. Rebecca Rolls (GK), 24. Emily Jensen, 26. Megan Lee
Information provided by Jeremy Ruane was used in this report
For more on New Zealand football go to www.nzfootball.co.nz

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