Source: Radio New Zealand
American Samoa’s Aaliyah Tu’ua and New Zealand’s Hannah Blake. Joshua Devenie / Phototek.nz
The Football Ferns overcame their biggest test, so far, of the Oceania World Cup qualifiers when they defeated American Samoa 3-0 in the Solomon Islands on Thursday.
In a battle between the top two sides in Group A, Football Fern Kelli Brown scored from the penalty spot just before half-time to break the deadlock.
Claudia Bunge doubled New Zealand’s lead just after half-time when she got on the end of a bending Michaela Foster cross.
Indiah Paige-Riley scored from long range, nestling the ball in the top left corner, in the 71st minute.
American Samoa managed to restrict the Football Ferns’ scoring in a way that Samoa and the Solomon Islands had not been able to earlier in the tournament.
In both previous matches the New Zealanders had scored eight unanswered goals.
The Football Ferns had already secured a place in the next stage of the qualification process for next year’s World Cup, the semi-finals, to be held in New Zealand next month.
The final will be played in Auckland on 15 April with the winner booking their place at the World Cup in Brazil.
Follow how all the action unfolded below:
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
