Mission Accomplished

The Football Ferns are going to the Olympics. As expected, they burst through the Oceania qualifying tournament winning every game and scoring a bunch of goals. They got progressively more efficient from game to game. We saw a couple of debuts. We saw several players bag their first international goals. Across the five matches we definitely got a good look at the new attacking hierarchy in the squad, continuing on from what we saw at the World Cup. All whilst getting to hang out in Samoa for a couple of weeks. Cool. Right on.

There’s not a huge amount to learn from these Oceania games, not when it’s professional players vs amateur players, but the extended time together as a squad will have been very useful. Not to mention the confidence boost of actually scoring some goals. Doesn’t matter who you’re playing, it’s fun to score goals... if only to remind folks that it’s a feasible possibility. The Ferns scored 32 times in five games during this tour. They played exactly 50 games in between this series and the 2018 Nations Cup (aka the last time they took on the Oceania comrades) and in those games scored a mere 24 times. So... yeah. Very different situations, impossible to properly compare. Point being: they needed some goals and they got them.

Not quite as many goals as they scored back in 2018 though. That side scored 43 times in five games, and without concession (whereas these Ferns did leak two sloppy ones). But there are good reasons for that disparity. Lots has changed in the space of five-and-a-bit years, for starters that side had Sarah Gregorius and Rosie White as its two top scorers. A couple of season international veterans who have since retired, leading to a near-complete rebuild in the attacking areas around Hannah Wilkinson, in which the lack of nurtured depth became clear as a bunch of young players were suddenly thrust into situations beyond what they were ready for. It’s been a major reason why we’ve struggled to create chances in recent years. Thankfully, we’re coming out of that phase now.

Also, that 2018 ONC was held in November at the start of summer in New Caledonia. This time they were in Samoa in February, which is already a little hotter than NCL and they were there at the most sweltering time of the year. Factor in that many of these kiwi player live in Europe where they’ve been deep in winter mode (imagine being Claudia Bunge or Daisy Cleverley going from single digit temperatures with lots of cloud and a fair bit of snow in Køge... to 30+ degrees, burning sun, and brutal humidity in Apia). Throughout the whole tournament they had cooling breaks twice per half (roughly every 15 minutes).

And the other factor is that a lot of these OFC teams did flex some very notable growth compared to previous tournaments. Credit where it’s due. Lots of sturdy and disciplined shape putting players behind the ball and most crucially avoiding the silly errors that lead to goals. NZ did win a couple of penalties and there was one own goal in their favour so wasn’t flawless. But the kiwis were also often frustrated by keepers delivering save after save against them and defenders making solid tackles and genuine clearances. Rebekah Stott noticed it too...

Rebekah Stott: “It’s definitely improved a lot. I think I played the Oceania teams maybe six years ago and they’ve definitely progressed and some of them go into a low block which makes it hard to break down. But the players are getting a lot better, so it makes it a good competition.”

It would have been easy to scoff at Jitka Klimkova’s pre-tourney comments about the gap closing between these teams, writing it off as polite lip service. It still sort of was... but this felt like the most that a NZ women’s team have had to work for their wins in a long time. The main reason for that? Oceania nations making more of an effort to attract the diaspora. Samoa played against the Ferns with a starting eleven entirely built from players born in either Aotearoa or the United States. In fact, when they won 2-0 against Tonga to seal progress into the semi-finals (where they lost to Solomon Islands), it was goals from Jayda Stewart and Monique Fischer that got the job done. Both born and raised in New Zealand. Stewart was part of the bronze medal NZ U17s group from 2018 and played National League for Canterbury United last year. Fischer is a bit older and has had a really solid career across Europe for the past several years (including playing WSL in England).

The Games

Football Ferns 3-0 Tonga

Starting XI: Edwards | Barry, Stott, Bunge, Anton | Collins, Cleverley, Fraser, Green | Nathan, Jale

Subs: Foster, Taylor, Bowen, Hassett, Riley

Goals (Assists): 3’ Jale (Fraser), 13’ Green [p] (Barry), 16’ Jale (Fraser)

The quest began with a 3-0 win over Tonga. All three goals were scored inside of 16 minutes, Grace Jale scoring two with Ally Green getting in on the action from the penalty spot in between. Everything was looking smooth... then they simply didn’t score again. Debutant Macey Fraser was the only one who looked like she might spark something as her team struggled to figure out what to do against a rugged low block, at least until Betsy Hassett and Indi Riley gave them a nudge off the bench in the latter stages.

An inauspicious beginning... with the Ferns taking their foot off the gas in the second half and treating it like a training match. Thing is, this was not their best side. A number of their top players weren’t available having travelled in from Europe (many of them playing just a few days earlier). Hence Brianna Edwards also started in goal for a debut. It was a 4-4-2 shape which would not be repeated again, Klimkova pivoting to a 4-3-3 the rest of the way. Also, fair play to Tonga who really did defend very well. Like Samoa, they also had a number of players with American dual-nationality and it made a difference. Not to where they ever threatened the Ferns but they did contain them for the final 74 minutes.

Football Ferns 6-0 Samoa

Starting XI: Leat | Neville, Bowen, Stott, Foster | Taylor, Fraser, Kitching | Jale, Hand, Riley

Subs: Barry, Nathan, Green, Hassett, Rennie

Goals (Assists): 8’ Hand (Jale), 16’ Taylor (Fraser), 28’ Own Goal (Neville), 34’ Fraser, 60’ Green (Bowen), 74’ Foster

Next came hosts Samoa where the addition of Jacqui Hand and Indi Riley from the outset made a huge difference. Hand got things started after eight minutes – as she did in most games. Hand made four starts and scored the first goal of the game in three of them (setting up the opener in the other). Meanwhile Fraser continued her sharp start to life as a Football Fern with another commanding display in the midfield, with a goal and an assist. It wasn’t just the output, it was the attitude too. She was out there demanding the ball, wanting to be the player making things happen... in her very first tour with the side.

Fraser’s goal was a direct free kick, of course. Michaela Foster also scored an olimpico from a corner kick. Trademark net-busters from the pair of them so it was only fitting that that’s how each of their first international goals would unfurl. Kate Taylor also joined her Phoenix teammates on the scoresheet. No goal for Indi Riley though, who was regularly denied by Samoa’s 16-year-old goalkeeper Xeyana Salanoa (whose sister Xehlia was also in the starting team – they were born and raised in Hawai’i). Just quietly, Grace Jale missed a penalty. Also, there was one dodgy moment when Taylor played a soft backpass to Anna Leat, who then tried to get to tricky with it under pressure and coughed the ball up. Samoa missed the open goal – the only genuine chance that the Ferns allowed throughout the group stage.

Solid stuff after eight changes were made to the eleven from the first game, notably improving matters. However it was still another instance of easing off in the second half. Aotearoa led 4-0 after 34 minutes and only won 6-0 in the end. Early in the tournament that seemed to be a directive: get the job done ASAP so there’s no stress later on, helping keep everyone fresh throughout a span of five games in 13 days. It did get annoying to watch sometimes... but you can understand the logic.

Football Ferns 5-0 Vanuatu

Starting XI: Esson | Barry, Bunge, Bowen, Green | Cleverley, Hassett, Riley | Hand, Wilkinson, Collins

Subs: Fraser, Kitching, Rennie, Nathan, Foster

Goals (Assists): 12’ Hand (Green), 21’ Hassett (Riley), 31’ Riley (Hand), 43’ Riley (Green), 51’ Fraser

The Samoa win clinched a semi-final spot, the Vanuatu game was therefore a bit of a freebie. This was the only game that Rebekah Stott didn’t start, while top scorer Grace Jale also got to put her feet up for this one. Hannah Wilkinson made her first appearance of the tournament to give the side a focal point up front, but rusty finishing betrayed her otherwise good work.

Indiah-Paige Riley was the star of this show. Having had a few wobbles in front of goal in the last game, she was magical here with some scintillating dribbling and emphatic finishing. She was given a midfield role here in an attacking formation, allowing her and Hand to link up on that right edge as they’d thrillingly continue to do for the rest of the tournament (and hopefully beyond). Two goals and an assist for IPR. It was another walk-in-the-park second half, with the scoring completed after 51 minutes. Should have won by a lot more but it didn’t really matter. The bigger concern was a concussion suffered by Macey Fraser late in the match. It was described as “mild” by the team but it did rule her out the rest of the way.

Football Ferns 7-1 Fiji (Semi-Final)

Starting XI: Leat | Neville, Stott, Bowen, Foster | Taylor, Hassett, Riley | Hand, Jale, Rennie

Subs: Barry, Bunge, Wilkinson, Kitching, Collins

Goals (Assists): 6’ Riley (Hand), 24’ Hand (Rennie), 45+2’ Jale (Foster), 45+4’ Hand, 45+6’ Riley (Jale), 67’ Jale (Rennie), 67’ Jale (Wilkinson)

Prior to Macey Fraser’s injury, Annalie Longo had also withdrawn without playing a game due to a precautionary muscle issue. She was replaced in the squad by Ruby Nathan, who had initially only been included for the first game (to cover for late arrivals) but ended up adding four caps to her tally, including pocketing her first goal for the Ferns in the final. Emma Hayes said something interesting recently about how many injuries occur around the international breaks in football so perhaps it’s no surprise that the Football Ferns, with their travel schedules, can’t ever seem to get through a tour without a few casualties. Grace Neville didn’t quite make it to half-time of the semi-final against Fiji before her tour was also abruptly ended due to a calf strain.

Regardless, there was no slowing down. The knockouts led to Klimkova leaning more heavily on her best players and that in turn led to more goals. On this occasion, the main damage was done immediately after the Neville injury during first-half stoppage when the Ferns scored three times to turn a battling 2-0 lead into a convincing 5-0 lead. Grace Jale would scored a couple more in the second half to complete a hat-trick, the first by a NZ player since Emma Rolston at the 2018 ONC. There was a blight at the very end when a dip in focus allowed Fiji to grab a consolation goal. Nonetheless, it was still a steady improvement upon the group stage performances. Even if Hannah Wilkinson still wasn’t able to grab that goal she was very obviously hunting for in a 24-minute cameo at the end.

Football Ferns 11-1 Solomon Islands (Grand Final)

Starting XI: Esson | Barry, Bowen, Stott, Green | Taylor, Hassett, Riley | Hand, Wilkinson, Jale

Subs: Kitching, Cleverley, Nathan, Foster, Bunge

Goals (Assists): 12’ Hand (Wilkinson), 20’ Wilkinson (Riley), 25’ Bowen (Jale), 37’ Jale, 45+1’ Riley, 53’ Riley (Hassett), 56’ Wilkinson (Hand), 62’ Jale (Stott), 71’ Kitching (Hand), 76’ Kitching, 89’ Nathan (Riley)

Which bring us to the finale where the Football Ferns saved their best for last. Outside of one blunderous moment when Vic Esson gave the ball away leading to a Solomon Islands goal early second half, it was entirely emphatic. Jacqui Hand got things started as per, then Hannah Wilkinson swiftly got on the scoresheet herself, having set up that Hand goal with a nice lay-off. Palpable relief for her – love to see a striker desperate for goals in any event (Wilkie’s up to 31 overall, fourth all-time for NZ).

A wicked low volley from Katie Bowen continued the fun and on and on it went. Indi Riley got a couple. Grace Jale got a couple (to ensure she shared the Golden Boot with Papua New Guinea’s Marie Kaipu). Then Katie Kitching came off the bench with a buzz to score a couple of her own, before Ruby Nathan polished things off. Like a few of these players, Nathan had shown some frustration at being unable to finish her chances on other occasions but she got there in the end. Sweet as, we’re going to the Olympics.

The final happened to take place on Jacqui Hand’s 25th birthday so there was an extra layer of celebration. This was the only game in which JK didn’t make any half-time subs, waiting until the 67th minute before making four at once. She picked her strongest team and then let them cook. Actually, they should have scored more. Grace Jale was the main culprit as she spurned a couple of sitters. Strange to have scored seven goals in four games and your finishing still feel subpar overall. She’s getting into those situations though, which is massive. Many of those situations stemmed from loitering in the penalty area while Hand and Riley did their thing out wide. This tourney might have begun on a dud note from the Ferns but there was lots to like about how they finished it, and that’s what matters much more. There’s even a cliche to prove it.

The Stats

To clarify, we’ve got goals and assists and minutes played by each individual. Then goal contributions (goals plus assists) measured per ninety minutes, then the team goal difference per ninety minutes from while each player was on the pitch.

There are some limitations with that, like Macey Fraser not playing in the knockout games when the team was at their best, shrinking her numbers despite her being the most creative player on the pitch for most of her tenure in Samoa. But you get the idea. Any way you cut it, Jacqui Hand’s stats look incredible. Indi Riley, Hannah Wilkinson, and Katie Bowen aren’t far behind either.

The Notebook

Trying to come up with conclusions from a bunch of games that don’t have any bearing on what the Ferns are trying to achieve in the bigger picture is a frisky task. Got to be careful not to overreact since beating the Solomons 11-1 doesn’t make this side any more likely to be able to score against whoever they meet at the actual Olympics. The confidence will help and perhaps they’ll have picked up some patters on the training pitch. But the games themselves – the bit that we get to see – have no correlation.

However we can at least compare players to each other, if not to their opponents, and in that light there are two who stand above the rest of them: Jacqui Hand and Indi Riley. Not coincidentally the two best dribblers in the team, the duo who were skipping past tacklers like they weren’t even there the whole way through. Also maybe the two sharpest finishers in this squad. Both stood out at the World Cup, after which both got exciting new club transfers. That whole attacking rebuild the team’s been going through? It ended when Hand and Riley began starting games together.

Although Grace Jale did score the most goals, she also played the most minutes. She buried seven of them overall yet missed at least that many more in the process – GJ has the tools to be a powerful and nimble number nine but she doesn’t quite have the resume. Perth Glory started her there this season then moved her back out wide. The Ferns can’t be developing players and trying to win games at the same time. Jale’s striker conversion needs to happen in her club footy first, or not at all, and it’s possible she’s simply not a ruthless, unsympathetic goal-scorer. That’s fine. She’s an unselfish facilitator who operates well in a front three or as a second striker. She just needs a Hannah Wilkinson (or Milly Clegg?) to work with. They tried it and it hasn’t really worked. Okay, we know that now.

Thus Wilkinson remains our best centre-forward, can’t deny it. She’s been missing a few chances for Melbourne City this season but has still been able to rack up the goals overall and, even with some of that rusty finishing following her to Samoa, the team was better when she was out there. Like several others, Wilkie peaked in the final with a commanding performance.

Ruby Nathan was largely used as the backup nine (though Jale and Hand spent time there too). Still a bit early for Nathan but she’ll have learned heaps from this experience. Funny to think she beat her mate Milly Clegg to score her first international goal. Pity we didn’t get to see Clegg here, if only to see how she linked with players like Hand and Riley.

Of the 32 goals scored during this past fortnight, 21 of them came in first halves and 11 came in second halves. Both goals conceded were second halfers too. That’s +21 goal difference in first halves and +9 in second halves. To reiterate the idea of how they went into fatigue-management mode for many of those second forty-fives.

As already mentioned, Jacqui Hand scored the first goal in three of her four appearances, and in the other one she assisted the first goal then scored the second.

Now for a major criticism: this team is not good at (attacking) headers. This team is actually quite bad at headers. Wilkinson scored a lovely one in the final but other than that they weren’t dominating in the air, to the point where even with such set piece maestras as Mickey Foster, Macey Fraser, and Ally Green involved they eventually started taking all their corner kicks short. One of Jale’s goals actually went in off her shoulder. Someone in this side is going to have to learn how to boss those things the way that Abby Erceg used to do (who still scores a couple headers from corners every year in the NWSL). Kate Taylor seems like the best bet.

Mackenzie Barry, Michaela Foster, Betsy Hassett, Katie Bowen, and Indi Riley are the five players who featured in all five games. Nobody started more than four. Everybody started at least once. Everybody played at least twice except for Liz Anton who was only there for one game, and Bri Edwards who was third-choice goalie.

Speaking of keepers, Vic Esson and Anna Leat each played two games but Esson getting the nod in the final suggests that she might have nudged back ahead in the goalkeeping rankings. That’s for future tours to determine... either way we’ve got two strong goalies driving each other to new heights through competition. An ideal scenario.

Probably not a great sign for either Ava Collins or Gabi Rennie that Ruby Nathan ended up getting more minutes than them. Collins had no goals or assists. Rennie did get a couple of nice assists in the Fiji game to make up for only getting 40 minutes in the group stage. Nathan scored her lone goal in the final. But there was a notable drop in potency when those three played compared to when the top choice forwards were out there. No surprises, considering that these three have only half a season of professional club experience between them (all belonging to Nathan).

Notably, Kate Taylor played almost exclusively as a midfielder. The lack of a hard-tackler like Steinmetz or Percival in this squad meant she got to continue on with what she’s been doing for the Wellington Phoenix and, while her passing could be erratic at times, her ball-winning was superb. She outplayed midfield specialist Daisy Cleverley to start in both the semi and the final.

The other Phoenix player with a sneaky positional note is Mackenzie Barry, who operated as a right back throughout. Did alright there too, lacking the creative directness of Grace Neville but with a boost on the defensive end. CJ Bott is in some outstanding form for Leicester City so surely she strolls back into the Ferns when they next play, hence there may only be space for one of Barry or Neville in a full-strength side. Likewise, Ally Green began the tour as a left winger and scored a couple of goals off the back of her sturdy dribbling. She then ended up starting the final at LB ahead of Michaela Foster. Already mentioned some key performers earlier but in terms of those who raised their profile the most... Ally Green is right up there with Macey Fraser and Kate Taylor.

Also Katie Kitching, who suddenly feels like the eventual successor to Betsy Hassett’s role in this squad. Really slick close-control dribbling and an eye for goal. Her name literally appeared out of nowhere in the Ferns picture but over in Samoa she was belting out the national anthem with full gusto (in Te Reo no less, because nobody sings the English version any more). Kia ora, Katie. Haere mai and ka pai.

Usually Rebekah Stott plays RCB and Katie Bowen LCB but they swapped sides for the final. Another sneaky one. Can’t say for sure that’s always been the case but it will be something to track moving forwards. Also, Stotty was the main captain during this tour, with Claudia Bunge wearing the armband in the Vanuatu match that Stott didn’t play. Can’t remember who did what when the subs rolled but yeah if Ali Riley doesn’t play beyond the Olympics then Stott and Bowen are the standout candidates.

One last thing to consider is that the Olympics tend to have smaller squads (18 players plus four travelling reserves). Given the number of players who missed this tour, and a few of those who’ve boosted their cases for inclusion in Apia, as well as what can happen in club footy between now and then (with the Ferns also playing a two-game series against Thailand in Christchurch in April)... there are some tricky decisions that’ll need to be made between now and then. That’s what competition for places leads to. We’re finally in that place.

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