The Football Ferns celebrate CJ Bott's opening goal. Photo / Paul Taylor
Football Ferns 2
Vietnam 0
With nine days to go, the Football Ferns have liftoff ahead of the Fifa Women’s World Cup.
New Zealand beat Vietnam 2-0 on Monday night in Napier, in their final preparation match before co-hosting the tournament.
The scoreline should have been much higher, as the Ferns were guilty of missing a stack of chances, but at least they were creating opportunities.
Given what we have seen in the last 12 months, this was a relative goalfest, as the Ferns had only netted twice in their previous 10 matches.
New Zealand had 22 shots to two, with 17 coming in the first half alone.
CJ Bott opened the scoring in the 17th minute, with Jacqui Hand adding the second just before halftime, in front of a vocal 6215 crowd at McLean Park.
It was just the fourth win of Jitka Klimkova’s 24-game tenure but came at a perfect time, as the Ferns snapped a 10-game winless streak.
No one should get too carried away, as Vietnam will be one of the minnows of the upcoming World Cup.
The Asian side, whose team are almost entirely domestic-based, offered little and spent most of the match defending in their own half, taking 35 minutes to have a touch inside the New Zealand penalty area. They improved in the second half but looked thoroughly uncomfortable in the chilly conditions.
But this was about the Ferns, and they delivered a performance of verve and vigour, with some lovely work in the final third, particularly in the first half.
The passing was crisp, with energy and drive across the field.
Ria Percival had a transformational impact in central midfield across 70 minutes, while Rebekah Stott was a standout with her passing range. Winger Indiah-Paige Riley underlined her potential and was a constant threat, while Bott and Ali Riley got forward well on the flanks.
If there was a concern, it was way the intensity dropped after halftime, even allowing for a number of substitutions.
Klimkova opted for a 4-3-3 formation. Katie Bowen got the nod ahead of Claudia Bunge in central defence alongside Stott, with Percival the anchor in a central midfield trio. Hannah Wilkinson led the line, flanked by Indiah-Paige Riley and Hand.
From the first whistle the pattern was set. New Zealand attacked and Vietnam sat back in their own half.
Hand forced a good save at the near post, before Bowen and Betsy Hassett eschewed good opportunities.
Wilkinson was an obvious threat from corners, as she towered above the defenders, but couldn’t find the mark.
A goal seemed inevitable – given the constant pressure – but it came in an unusual manner, as a 25-metre speculative effort from Bott slipped in. After receiving the ball from a short corner, the fullback’s shot was accurate – if not completely clean – and the keeper was caught unaware, not helped by a slight deflection.
That was a boost, and the Ferns didn’t relent. Percival blazed over after an Indiah-Paige Riley incursion, before the former Australian winger’s shot was well saved – after the best move of the half - while Wilkinson rushed a close-range volley.
Vietnam didn’t threaten until ten minutes before halftime, with Bowen defusing a dangerous situation with a timely block, after a fast break.
But it was all the Ferns. Indiah-Paige Riley was electric and another darting run created the second, with her cross tapped home by Hand. The Finnish-based striker should have netted a minute later but stabbed wide.
Things got a bit loose after the break, as the standards slipped, though Hassett went close after a clever Stott free kick.
Olivia Chance (Wilkinson), Annalie Longo (Percival), Michaela Foster (Ali Riley) and Bunge (Stott) were introduced with 20 minutes to play, with Milly Clegg (Hand) and Gabi Rennie (Indiah-Paige Riley) given a taste near the end, as the Ferns maintained their advantage without really going close to a third.
Football Ferns 2 (CJ Bott 17′, Jacqui Hand 44′)
Vietnam 0
Halftime 2-0
Paunovic moved to Havelock North with her family from Croatia seven years ago.