Soccer: Young Football Ferns lose warm-up

The Young Football Ferns kick off their FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup campaign next week in Trinidad and Tobago. Photo / Getty Images

The Young Football Ferns' 1-2 defeat to the Republic of Ireland in Miami on Wednesday morning (NZT) has been described by their coach as a timely wake-up call ahead of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago.

After displaying plenty of promise in Sunday morning's 1-0 defeat to Korea Republic less than 24 hours after arriving from Auckland, the Young Football Ferns were confident of scalping the European runners-up and looked on track when Evie Millynn put New Zealand ahead in the 25th minute.

But a Siobhan Killeen equaliser before halftime and a late winner from Rebecca Kearney earned the Irish the spoils.

With under a week remaining before New Zealand opens their Group C campaign against Venezuela on Tuesday morning (NZT) coach Dave Edmondson said the result is a stark reminder that only the best is good enough against World Cup opposition.

"The big positive is that the girls have had a real kick up the backside now. Confidence was really high after a very good performance against South Korea considering we had just got off the plane the night before but they have really been brought down to Earth with this match."

"Although we thought we were a good chance against Ireland we're not that good that we can turn up in cruise mode and get the result we want."

"Even though it's the last warm up game players are playing for starting positions against Venezuela but some of them went through the motions today."

"To some extent it is understandable so close to a World Cup not wanting to get injured in the last warm up game or whatever but they have been let know that today's performance was unacceptable."

On Friday (NZT) the Young Football Ferns travel to Couva in Trinidad, where they face Venezuela on Sunday and European champions Spain three days later, before rounding out pool play against Japan in Scarborough, Tobago on September 14. New Zealand's matches at the tournament will be shown live on Sky Sport.

New Zealand 1 (Evie Millynn 25) Republic of Ireland 2 (Siobhan Killeen 37, Rebecca Kearney 86)
Halftime: 1-1

- NZHERALD