FIFA U-20 WOMEN&039;S WORLD CUP CHILE 2008 – WORLD CUP WINNER KEEPS JUNIOR FERNS ALIVE

AUCKLAND – A thrilling 4-3 win over FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup hosts Chile on Sunday has given New Zealand a real chance of qualifying for the quarterfinals.

The win – just the third for a New Zealand side in 26 matches over nine senior or age-group World Cups – ended Chile’s chances of progressing past the group stage, and left the Junior Ferns needing to beat England in Santiago on Thursday to leapfrog them into the playoffs.

England and Nigeria – who drew 1-1 earlier in the day to sit atop Group A with four points each after two matches, with the Kiwis just one point behind.

Fifteen-year-old Rosie White led the scoring with New Zealand’s second-ever World Cup hat-trick – she scored the first seventeen days ago against Colombia in the U-17 Women’s World Cup – while substitute Renee Leota scored with her first touch to settle nerves after Maria Mardones had made it 2-1 five minutes after halftime.

When White completed her hat-trick in the 74th minute New Zealand looked comfortable at 4-1 but goals to Daniela Pardo with seven minutes remaining and Daniela Zamora in injury time – after Ria Percival had been contentiously, and perhaps mistakenly, sent off for her second bookable offence – caused some palpitations for New Zealand coaching staff.

“Tonight has been a massive step forward for this team,” said head coach John Herdman.

“They’ve gone into a stadium full of 16,000 hostile fans, against the host nation who were aiming to do exactly what we were aiming to do. We had to win and win comfortably, push out as many goals as we could to give ourselves the best chance of qualifying.”

“The last ten minutes were pretty disappointing – it think it marred an otherwise fantastic performance by this New Zealand team.”

“We were absolutely dominant in the first 45 minutes, and at times looked really threatening with our attacking play in the second half, so I’m just really proud of the players. We looked in control apart from eight minutes of the game.”

New Zealand management were burning the midnight oil to lodge an appeal against Percival’s second yellow card on the basis on mistaken identity. The foul for which Percival was booked looked to be made by Caitlin Campbell.

New Zealand dominated the hosts through out the first half, camping in Chile’s half and creating chance after chance.

Chile’s goalkeeper Claudia Endler pulled off saves from Hannah Wall and Rosie White while and cleared danger from Wall and Campbell crosses, but was lucky to still be on the pitch after bringing down Sarah McLaughlin in the 36th minute.

At that stage New Zealand were already a goal up thanks to White’s 20th minute opener – a tight turn and shot through the legs of Juanita Pena – and it was White who stepped up amidst of cauldron of jeers to coolly slot the spot kick past Endler.

Chile – sensing their World Cup dream was dying – looked a different side after the break, hitting the post with a long range effort from Pardo after just two second half minutes, and then pulling a goal back on 50 minutes.

Charlotte Wood dealt with a long-range free-kick with a punch that fell to Mardones who looped an unlikely 20 yard header back over goalmouth traffic.

The lively McLaughlin saw a close range volley kept out by the arm of Endler before making way for Leota whose first touch was to bury Liz Milne’s headed put-back from a Campbell corner.

Percival showed why Herdman is desperate to have her on the field against England, when slicing through the defence and putting a unselfish and pinpoint pass across goal for White to send New Zealand 4-1 ahead.

With New Zealand seemingly cruising, Mardones snuck through New Zealand’s rear-guard to set up Pardo’s goal and a frantic final seven minutes, while Zamora finished one-on-one with Wood in time added on to give the hosts a brief sniff of an improbable draw.

New Zealand now fly to Santiago where’ll they’ll meet England in another must-win match on Thursday (NZ time)

FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Chile 2008

Group A

Chile (0) 3 (16. Maria MARDONES 50’;14. Daniela PARDO 83’; 11. Daniela ZAMORA 90+2’;)

New Zealand (2) 4 (20. Rosie WHITE 20’, 36’, 74’; 9. Renee LEOTA 66’;

New Zealand: 1.Charlotte WOOD (GK), 2. Caitlin CAMPBELL, 4. Katie HOYLE (Captain), 5. Bridgette ARMSTRONG, 6. Abby ERCEG, 7. Ria PERCIVAL, 8. Betsy HASSETT, 11. Hannah WALL (10. Annalie LONGO 79), 15.Elizabeth MILNE, 19.Sarah McLAUGHLIN (9. Renee LEOTA 65’), 20. Rosie WHITE (14. Merissa SMITH 77’).

Substitutes not used: 3. Anna GREEN, 12. Chelsey WOOD, 13. Victoria ESSON (GK), 16. Briony FISHER, 17. Nicole STRATFORD, 18. Grace VINCENT, 21. Rebekah BROOK (GK).

Coach: John HERDMAN (NZL)

Cautions: 7. Ria PERCIVAL 40’,87’; 1. Charlotte WOOD 41’;

Red Cards: 7. Ria PERCIVAL 87’

Chile: 7. Claudia ENDLER (GK), 2. Valentina LEFORT (3. Javiera GUAJARDO 61), 5. Tatiana PEREZ (10. Maryorie HERNANDEZ 56’), 8. Karen ARAYA (6. Pamela COIHUIN 69’), 9.Nathalie QUEZADA, 11.Daniela ZAMORA, 14.Daniela PARDO, 15. Juanita PENA, 16. Maria MARDONES, 17. Geraldine LEYTON, 18. Daniela FUENZALIDA.

Substitutes not used: 1. Romina PARRAGUIRRE (GK), 4. Cyntia AGUILAR, 12.Karla URETA (GK), 13. Dominique HISIS, 19. Andrea ZUNIGA, 20. Carol NEGRON, 21.Valeska BAIGORRI.

Coach: Marta TEJEDOR (ESP)

Yellow Cards: 17. Geraldine LEYTON 71’;

Red Cards: None

Referee: Erika VARGAS (CRC)

Assitant Referee 1: Flor ESCOBAR (GUA)

Assistant Referee 2: Lesbia TZUL (GUA)

Fourth Official:Gabriela BANDEIRA (URU)

Group A Standings