Beginning the game without three front liners after central defender Rebecca Smith rejoined her German club after recent World Cup qualifiers, and midfielders Kirsty Yallop and Betsy Hassett carrying injuries picked up on club duty, New Zealand matched the higher-ranked Koreans in a game that could’ve been won by either side.
“The most pleasing thing for me is that we’ve been missing four starting players from the Cyprus Cup, including Hannah Wall, but the players that have come in have stepped up and shown that we’re beginning to build that depth that we haven’t had in the past,” coach John Herdman says.
In a cagey first half, the Football Ferns threatened mainly down the left through Anna Green and Hayley Moorwood but as the game opened up in the last 25 minutes, Ali Riley and Ria Percival became the danger players, constantly beating the Korean defence on the right-hand side without being able to find their forwards with an accurate final delivery.
Rosie White hit the post in the first half and Amber Hearn rattled the crossbar, while goalkeeper Jenny Bindon was called into action to scramble away a double chance to Jeon Ga Eul and Ji So Yun.
The Peace Queen Cup features six teams split into two pools with the group winners squaring off in next Saturday’s final.
New Zealand play World No 9 England on Thursday and will know exactly what they need to do to make the final as England take on Korea on Tuesday. Australia, Mexico and Taiwan make up Group B.
“It’s always good to go into your last pool game with a chance of making the final. We’ve already begun our homework on England but we’ll get a good look at them on Tuesday in a game both those sides really need to win,” Herdman says.
2010 Peace Queen Cup
Suwon, South Korea
Korea Republic 0
New Zealand 0
Halftime: 0-0
New Zealand: 1-Jenny BINDON (GK), 2-Ria PERCIVAL, 3-Anna GREEN, 4-Katie HOYLE, 5-Abby ERCEG, 7-Ali RILEY, 8-Hayley MOORWOOD (captain), 9-Amber HEARN, 14-Rosie WHITE (16-Emma KETE 74), 17-Hannah WILKINSON ( 15-Sarah GREGORIUS 60), 18-Kristy HILL.
Substitutes not used: 10-Elizabeth MILNE, 11-Kirsty YALLOP, 12-Betsy HASSETT, 13-Maia JACKMAN, 20-Aroon CLANSEY (RGK).
Coach: John HERDMAN
Story and photo courtesy of New Zealand Football.
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