New Zealand coach Chris Milicich used the match as an opportunity to give players valuable minutes on the pitch, handing starts to overseas-based squad members Luke Rowe and Stefan Marinovich as well as Marco Rojas and Cameron Lindsay – all of whom missed Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Wellington Phoenix in Auckland.
Milicich also gave Melville defender Mikey Kramer, the bolter of the World Cup squad, his age-group debut.
“It was definitely a case of making sure we gave everyone a run,” Milicich says.
“We played the Wellington Phoenix a few days ago and most of the players have had a 12-hour flight to get here.”
“Stefan Marinovich is in the European off-season and had his first game in a while as did Luke Rowe while Cameron Lindsay had his first game since we played in Korea in May.
“Everyone in the squad has now had an hour of game time under their belts from the two games so far. Against Southern California on the weekend we can start to firm up plans for a starting line-up for our first World Cup game against Cameroon.”
New Zealand face Cameroon in their FIFA U-20 World Cup opener on July 31 (NZT), before meeting Uruguay and Portugal in the Colombia-hosted tournament.
The Junior All Whites were punished for a slow start when Ventura striker Gyasi Zardes was played through and gave the hosts a ninth-minute lead.
New Zealand were level in the 26th minute when Ethan Galbraith won possession for Lindsay to set up Dakota Lucas.
But Zardes grabbed his second goal of the game nine minutes later and his strike proved to be the winner despite an array of chances to the Kiwis in the second half.
“We started really slowly and our sluggishness was punished. We made mistakes but by the end we were enjoying some dominance and created four or five good chances without putting the goals away,” Milicich says.
On Monday, Ventura County, who play in the third tier of professional football in the USA, led West Bromwich Albion 2-1 in a club friendly before succumbing to the English Premier League side 4-2.
“Ventura were leading West Brom in the second half of that match so they are a very good side. Their players all have good college careers behind them and are looking to break into higher levels of professional football.
“We were a bit rusty and struggled to get going but it was great to get some of the weariness out of the legs.”
Ventura County Fusion 2 (Gyasi ZARDES 9’, 35’)
New Zealand U-20 1 (Dakota LUCAS 26′)
Halftime: 2-1
New Zealand U-20: 1-Stefan MARINOVIC (gk), 3-Nick BRANCH (captain / 14-James MUSA 77’), 6-Nikko BOXALL (10-Anthony HOBBS 18’), 7-Cameron LINDSAY (9-Tim PAYNE 58’), 8-Ethan GALBRAITH (2-Andrew BEVIN 74’), 11-Dakota LUCAS, 12-Andrew MILNE, 13-Colin MURPHY, 15-Marco ROJAS (5-Sean LOVEMORE 38’), 16-Luke ROWE (19-Liam HIGGINS 70’), 17-Mikey KRAMER.
Substitutes not used: 20-Scott BASALAJ (rgk), 21-Coey TURIPA (rgk).
Not considered due to injury: 4-Ryan CAIN, 18-Adam THOMAS.
Coach: Chris MILICICH
Cautions: Ethan GALBRAITH
Upcoming match
New Zealand U-20 v Southern California
Oxnard College
Ventura, California, USA
July 23, 2011, 2.30pm (9.30am July 24 NZT)
FIFA U-20 World Cup Colombia 2011
July 29 – August 20
New Zealand v Cameroon
Cali, Colombia
July 30, 2011
5pm (10am July 31 NZT)
New Zealand v Uruguay
Cali, Colombia
August 2, 2011
5pm (10am August 3 NZT)
New Zealand v Portugal
Cali, Colombia
August 5, 2011
5pm (10am August 6 NZT)
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
For more on New Zealand football go to www.nzfootball.co.nz