PARAGUAY DOWN DISSAPOINTING YOUNG FOOTBALL FERNS

AUCKLAND – New Zealand U-17 women’s football coach Paul Temple says the next 48 hours could be the making of his side after a lacklustre 0-4 loss to Paraguay in an international friendly in Asunción on Monday morning.

In their second match of a tour used as preparation for the October 28-November 16 FIFA Women’s Cup in New Zealand, the Young Football Ferns put in a lifeless performance in a game expected to be much closer-fought.

Templewas honest in his appraisal of his side’s performance but said the Young Football Ferns still had a chance to put things right.

“It’s important we don’t gloss over this, and to be honest it would pretty hard to do so,” Temple said.

“It’s a very, very disappointing performance. We were not good enough today in any department, and we’ve only got ourselves to blame. We’ve let a lot of people down, and we want to apologise.

“The next 48 hours are a real test of this side. We certainly can’t afford to play like that again but my gut tells me the players will respond in the right way.

“We’ve promised within the team to make sure this is a one-off, and we have the chance to put the performance behind us over the next two games.”

New Zealand’s day started badly, losing goalkeeper Charlotte Wood after only five minutes to a dislocated shoulder that will keep her out of action for up to two months.

Paraguay added insult to injury six minutes later, scrambling the opening goal from close range following some indecision from the New Zealand defence.

The South Americans added a penalty nine minutes before halftime and then two more goals within ten minutes of the restart to have the game firmly wrapped up before the hour mark.

New Zealand – who beat Cerro Porteno 2-1 in their opening match on Saturday – resume a quadrangular tournament against club side Universidad Autonoma on Thursday morning before getting the chance to make amends against Paraguay in the tournament finale on Saturday morning.

“The only saving grace is that today’s game was not part of the tournament and we still have the chance of taking the title if we perform much better and get a couple of wins,” Temple said.

Young Football Ferns 0 Paraguay 4
Asunción, Paraguay

Young Football Ferns:Charlotte Wood (GK/ Victoria Esson 5), Rebecca Brown (Kylie Jens 55), Briony Fisher (Captain), Bridgette Armstrong, Caitlin Campbell, Hannah Wall (Megan Shea 60), Nadia Pearl (Leah Gallie 60), Katie Bowen (Claudia Crasborn 30), Jessica Rollings (Lauren Mathis 60), Annalie Longo, Sarah McLaughlin (Lauren Murray 30).
Substitutes not used: Anna Fullerton, Yumi Nguyen, Rosie White.
Head Coach: Paul Temple

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