Despite the Ferns’ globetrotting exploits in recent years, this morning’s match in Paralimni was the first for the senior side against an African nation in 18 years and Readings believes the exposure to a new style will prove invaluable.
“South Africa are a different style of team than we’ve been used to playing,” Readings said.
“They are a bit more unorthodox and because of that we found it hard to find our rhythm. Like teams we’ve seen at age-group level, they won’t let you settle on the ball.
“They’ll man-mark you around the pitch and make life hard for you in terms of getting any time and space on the ball. But we are the type of team now who can back ourselves to be able to still play against these teams.”
Readings said the most valuable lesson heading into an Olympic Games campaign was the need for the players to remain adaptable while still backing their own style of play.
“At the Olympics we’ll come up against at least three different teams, all with different styles of football and we’re going to have to adapt from one game to the next. We’ve already played a British team and an African team here and now we’re up against an Asian team with a completely different style of football,” Readings said.
“What we need to do is make sure we adapt from game to game – and within games – and we are getting invaluable exposure to that at tournaments like this one. We are a team who likes to play and who is looking better and better when doing that but there are times when we can mix it up a little bit.”
South Africa has already qualified for London – notably ahead of traditional African powerhouses Nigeria and Ghana – while New Zealand face a home-and-away playoff on March 31 and April 4 against the winner of this week’s Oceania Women’s Qualifier in Tonga.
Papua New Guinea and the hosts claimed opening wins yesterday to emerge as New Zealand’s most likely playoff opposition.
“If we qualify for the Olympics, we’ve got as much chance of drawing South Africa as any other team,” Readings said.
“They are a team with a lot of backing behind it, and they knocked out some very good teams to qualify so, all in all, it’s a solid result this far out from London.”
Readings made three changes for the match with Ria Percival, Hayley Moorwood and Betsy Hassett all handed starts in place of Anna Green, Kirsty Yallop and Annalie Longo.
Green, Yallop and Longo were used as second-half substitutes, along with goalkeeper Rebecca Rolls who collected her 12th cap – 16 years after her 11th – and shared in a second straight Ferns clean sheet with Jenny Bindon.
Katie Hoyle and Amber Hearn both missed the target with the best of the chances in a more open second half while Yallop was denied by the South African goalkeeper one-on-one in the last play of the game.
In this morning’s other Group C match South Korea edged Northern Ireland 1-0 to move to the top of the group, meaning only a win when the two teams clash on Monday morning will send the Ferns through to the playoff for seventh – the highest possible finish for New Zealand in a lopsided three-pool format.
Cyprus Women’s Cup
New Zealand: 0
South Africa: 0
Halftime: 0-0
New Zealand: Jenny BINDON (GK/ Rebecca ROLLS 46’), Ali RILEY, Abby ERCEG, Rebecca SMITH (captain), Ria PERCIVAL (Anna GREEN 65’), Katie HOYLE, Hayley MOORWOOD (Annalie LONGO 75’), Amber HEARN, Hannah WILKINSON (Kirsty YALLOP 61’), Betsy HASSETT, Sarah GREGORIUS
Substitutes not used: Katie BOWEN, Kristy HILL, Holly PATTERSON, Rosie WHITE, Emma KETE
Coach: Tony READINGS
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
For more on New Zealand Football visit www.nzfootball.co.nz

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