New Zealand 1 Japan 4
The Football Ferns have suffered back-to-back defeats to Japan after holding a halftime lead in their second friendly in Murcia, Spain this morning. New Zealand held a well-earned lead shortly after halftime before Japan scored three goals in 17 minutes before adding a fourth for a 4-1 victory.
Milly Clegg scored her maiden international goal with a stunning strike in the 22nd minute. Receiving the ball with two defenders on her wide of the box, Clegg cut back infield before firing a shot by goalie Ayaka Yamashita.
New Zealand held the lead for four minutes into the second half before Chelsea forward Maika Hamano, who only entered the game at halftime, levelled the game up from a volley on the back of Japan’s first corner of the match.
Hamano added a second to give Japan the lead in the 60th minute off a quick free kick, catching the Football Ferns defence on the back foot. Japan’s third came off a poor clearance by Ferns goalie Anna Leat, with her pass intercepted and bouncing to an unmarked Aoba Fujino who put the ball by a scrambling Leat off her line.
