While the game lacked the chances and fluidity of Sunday’s 3-1 victory, Hearn’s long-range strike in the ninth minute added a touch of class to proceedings and ensured the Ferns ended the home leg of their Olympic build-up on a high.
With passing options closed down in front of her, the Germany-based striker spotted Chinese goalkeeper Wang Fei off her line and sent a 25-yard effort sailing over her head to break Wendy Sharpe’s all-time New Zealand tally that has stood for 18 years.
“I was going to pass it but then the girls took the players away and I thought I’d just go for it,” Hearn said.
Hearn, who admitted she was unaware of the record until tonight, preferred to deflect the attention away from her tally despite scoring what she described as one of the best goals of her career.
“It was important for us to back up tonight and we’re ecstatic that we’ve done it against a side like China,” she said.
“Beating them twice after 12 straight losses is fantastic. It gives us a great boost heading into the next Olympic warm-ups against Australia and they’re the ones we really want to win. They’re our greatest rival.”
New Zealand coach Tony Readings paid tribute to the Ferns match-winner after the game.
“I think Amber’s been the best player across both games and her performances deserved that goal today – and what a goal,” he said.
“That’s the sort of thing she’s capable of and she does that in training all the time. She’s stepping up more and more for us. I think it’s fitting that she’s done it here at home.”
Readings admitted the match didn’t live up to the spectacle of Sunday’s win but said part of the team’s progress – which has seen it go unbeaten in its last eight fixtures – is winning games in different ways.
“Sometimes you have to dig out 1-0 wins. I thought we looked comfortable in possession at times, maybe not as comfortable as on Sunday but defensively we looked solid and didn’t really give them too much,” Readings said.
The Football Ferns head to Australia for two matches against the 10th-ranked Matildas – in Wollongong on Sunday and Wednesday – before returning to New Zealand in time for Readings to announce his 18-player squad for London on June 29. The men’s squad will be confirmed tomorrow.
The Football Ferns have drawn Great Britain, Brazil and Cameroon at the Olympics and will begin their campaign on July 25 in Cardiff against the hosts.
International friendly
New Zealand: 1 (Amber HEARN 9’)
China: 0
Halftime: 1-0
North Harbour Stadium
Crowd: 1865
New Zealand: 1-Jenny BINDON (GK), 2-Ria PERCIVAL (3-Anna GREEN 74’), 4-Katie HOYLE, 5-Abbey ERCEG, 6-Rebecca SMITH (captain / 13-Rebekah STOTT 61’), 7-Ali RILEY, 8-Hayley MOORWOOD (12-Betsy HASSETT 61’), 9-Amber HEARN, 10-Sarah GREGORIUS, 11-Kirsty YALLOP, 15-Emma KETE (17-Hannah WILKINSON 46’)
Substitutes not used: 14-Holly PATTERSON, 16-Annalie LONGO, 18-Katie BOWEN, 19-Kristy HILL, 20-Rebecca ROLLS (GK)
Coach: Tony READINGS
China: 22-WANG Fei (GK), 2-CHEN Miaomiao, 3-SONG Xiangjie, 4-LI Jiayue, 11-LOU Jiahui, 14-LIU Shukun (captain),17-PANG Fengyue, 18-HAN Peng (21-WANG Lisi 43’), 19-ZHOU Feifei (16-WANG Xin 84’), 23-GONG Qian (6-REN Guixin 55’ / 12-ZENG Ying 79’), 25-ZHANG Rui (8-FENG Yadi 68’ / 10-MA Xiaoxu 80’)
Substitutes not used: 1-ZHANG Yue (GK), 7-GAO Qi, 15-XU Yanlu
Cautions: 21-WANG Lisi 53’
Coach: LI Wei
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
For more on New Zealand Football visit www.nzfootball.co.nz

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