Ali Riley keeps up the assault on beleaguered goalie Rose Yolou (17) and Leisale Solomon(2). Photo / Paul Estcourt
New Zealand 14
Vanuatu 0
New Zealand wasted no time in showing they mean business, thumping Vanuatu with seven unanswered goals in each half in the Women's Oceania Nations Cup on North Harbour Stadium's outer oval yesterday.
Midfield dynamo Amber Hearn led the charge for the Hayley Moorwood-led
Football Ferns with five goals including a hat-trick in the opening 18 minutes. Hannah Wilkinson almost matched Hearn in scoring four.
Moorwood scored two, defender Abby Erceg, Rosie White and 66th-minute substitute Liz Milne one each. For White, 17, and Milne they were breakthrough goals at senior level.
While happy enough with his team's performance, Ferns coach John Herdman warned he expects his team will get even better as the tournament progresses.
"What I was most happy with is that we kept a high standard from start to finish," said Herdman. "They played with an intensity and no matter what the scoreline was they just kept going. And that's the important thing. They have to be able to keep playing at a level they'll need to if they get to the World Cup in Germany.
"There's definitely another gear that we can reach and that's what we'll try and do in the next games."
While New Zealand goalkeeper Jenny Bindon had a quiet time, Vanuatu custodian Haia Taiwia pulled off some good one-on-one saves to prevent a complete blowout.
Ali Riley, who arrived from San Francisco on Tuesday, got through 45 minutes while Germany-based defender Rebecca Smith sat out the match with a back injury.
Smith may not be fit to play in New Zealand's next match against the Cook Islands tomorrow but Sweden-based midfielder Kirsty Yallop arrives today.
The Cook Islands sprang a minor surprise in opening their campaign with a 1-0 win in yesterday's late game.
The game was decided after just 15 minutes when Gina Mustonen slammed a left-foot shot into the top corner of the Tahitian goal.
Heimiri Alvarez had a great opportunity to level the scores after 32 minutes but chipped her shot wide.
Group B gets under way today with second seeds and Pacific Games champions Papua New Guinea playing Fiji, at 1pm, and Tonga meeting the Solomon Islands at 3.30pm.
