Fernando Vergara/Photosport
Football Ferns Malia Steinmetz and Ava Colllins battle for the ball against Colombia’s Leicy Santos.
At Estadio El Campin, Bogotá, Colombia: Football Ferns 0 Colombia 0. HT: 0-0
The Football Ferns were left rueing an attacking mix-up as they had to settle for a 0-0 draw against Colombia in the first of two friendlies in Bogotá.
An Ally Green corner in the 77th minute went all the way to the unmarked back post, where two Ferns surged forward to meet it.
But instead of connecting with the ball, Katie Bowen and Ava Collins collided with each other, and the opportunity went begging.
Another corner from Green soon after went over the bar off Grace Jale’s back and while the Ferns continued to push for a winner, it ultimately never came.
They were the brighter of the two sides towards the end of the match, but were lucky not to have been behind at halftime at Estadio El Campin.
Colombia made it to the quarterfinals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia earlier this year, while the Ferns exited in the group stage.
That showed in the early exchanges, with Rebekah Stott having to make a crucial block to deny Daniela Montoya from point-blank range just 10 minutes in.
Jorelyn Carabalí then sent a header wide of Anna Leat’s goal when she rose to meet a free kick from Catalina Usme on the right.
The Ferns’ best chance of the first half came when Malia Steinmetz won the ball high up – arguably while getting away with a foul – then fed Jacqui Hand, who in turn passed the ball to Jale.
But not for the first time, the ball became stuck at Jale’s feet when it needed to be shifted swiftly, whether back to Hand or to another team-mate arriving in support.
KARANAMA RURU/STUFF
Football Fern Hannah Wilkinson has painted a mural celebrating New Zealand’s victory over Norway. The mural is at Auckland United football club in Mount Roskill.
Colombia’s best chance of the match came in the 37th minute, when a header by Daniela Aris at a corner was allowed to bounce in the box up onto the crossbar.
Hand had a penalty shout waved away in stoppage time when Aris took out her legs as she jumped to meet a curled ball in from Jale on the left.
There was a similar scene down the other end right before the whistle blew, when a shot from Leicy Santos hit Ava Collins right where her arm meets her chest, only for the handball calls to fall on deaf ears.
Having survived what was mostly one-way traffic in the first half, the Ferns began the second brightly, with Steinmetz winning the ball – more legitimately this time – then trying to play a one-two with Hand, only for the final pass to be intercepted just in time.
Colombia were quieter in the second half than the first, going closest when Marce Restre curled a shot just wide of the left post after a nice passing move that included a backheel from Montoya to set her up.
The Ferns’ best chance was the blown one in the 77th minute – a fairly inexcusable mix-up at international level, especially in a match where clear-cut opportunities for either side were a rare sight.
Wellington Phoenix defender Mackenzie Barry had a strong outing in her first start for the Ferns, playing at right back, rather than centre back as she has at club level this season, but it was somewhat disappointing not to see more fresh faces introduced.
Paige Satchell was the first sub called upon and while she had several strong runs down the right, her final balls left a lot to be desired, as has come to be expected. The others to receive significant time off the bench were Green and Daisy Cleverley.
There was no debut for Phoenix youngster Manaia Elliott, despite coach Jitka Klimková and Stott both talking her up during the week, while the extent of Sunderland midfielder Katie Kitching’s debut was a few minutes in second-half stoppage time.
Up next
The Football Ferns will play Colombia in Bogotá again on Wednesday (kickoff 9am NZ time) to round out 2023, this time at Estadio Metropolitano de Techo.
