New Zealand Women's U-20s

close game. dont think we played especially well, particularly after the first 20 min. Defense a bit fragile. Strikers didn't have much to work with apart from the crosses Wall was knocking in. Thought the keeper had a shocker on the first one but was actually a deflection - second one I think she came out sliding feet first which was a bit poor. Some of them Swedes were pretty quick. Good to see the Woods backign up their Sth Africa effort - think that was Chris I saw there too.

With a bit more luck could have got something out of that game. Nevermind. Still two more to go.

Why were they wearing black arm bands?

I thought both her and McLaughlin looked sharp when they came on.

Leota was good.  Hope she gets a goal or two these finals. 

Loved the sign in the crowd 'We've Got Wood'. 

hopefully the girls can pull a Spain and now win all their games.  Anything is possible.

Best woman footballer in the world.

That's a rather large close up you have there EG.

The hoofs up the field from defense were something akin of All Whites of old, it was quite frustrating that they weren't looking around and making easier shorter passes to maintain possession.  Still, we can turn this around!

Why is Wall playing RB? She needed to be involved in the attacks more I feel as she's very good on the ball.

She did alright at RB didn't she? Both her and the other full back (Green??) are decent crossers of the ball, plus she's got some pace.

Hannah Wall played RM I thought.

Players seriously lacked imagination.  Some very basics mistakes overall made it harder for them and harder for me to watch.  Headers was a big one.  They seemed more concerned on contact with the ball and not at all thinking of where the ball would go once they headed it.  I only remember one header to another player.  Also, they saw that the Swedish keeper couldn't catch a cold so they should have tried testing her more often, even from further out, and have one of the attackers follow up the shots in the likely case of a goalkeeping blunder.

I thought Naylor did fairly well.  Couldn't help that first goal at all.  Plain unlucky, really.

Nah, she's at the back. And doesn't really have pace.

Was it this one?

I made this for the NZ/Paraguay game.  Then biffed it to Chris Wood after the game.  He walked off with it so I assume he gave it to his mum.

ha was wondering how they got the banner

Thought Wall was poor at the back. The last time I saw her play she was a left winger. That's what she looked like vs Sweden, a winger playing well out of position.

Hah, I'm not really that much of a stalker O6.



I think.

I'm just guessing she would commit an act of violence for posting that image.

She's 10,000 miles away. I'm safe.

Finally watched the replay today.   Bummer for Leota twice hitting the bar. Noticed the commentator kept calling them the All Whites.

Next game against Korea DPR @ 4am Saturday on SS1.
Come on girls, write the future!

First half over, 1-0 to Korea DPR.  Terrible way to concede a goal, our defense continues to look sievelike. On attack however we've been okay, in those times when we've managed to have possession in their half.  Rosie White had a mean shot saved early on and Green's free kick would have done Beckham proud had it not been pushed over the bar.

If we can get on top of their attack and play some ground passes up to our attack, we certainly could take a draw or a win away. We just have to do something about their constant wing attacks, they do it every time and we're not marking them.  Anyhoo, second half....

Well that's that for our progression hopes. Unlucky twist of the torso from Rosie and we concede a handball penalty. Nayler dived the right way but it was shot under her for 2-0.  We did pour players forward right at the death and were rewarded with a nice headed goal, but again a game we could have won slipped away.

Taking nothing away from Korea though, they looked dangerous all game and were it not for some fine saves from Erin Nayler we may have been thrashed.

Now we play Brazil with no chance of progression. Brazil need to win and for Sweden to lose for them to have a chance to progress.
Nickel2010-07-17 06:13:05

Hard luck. I wonder if all the North korean players were under 20. Some players looked way older

yeah they did look old.

Yeah it was disappointing, but North Korea are class. I thought our defense was really poor, both goals came from balls that should have been cleared (White's handball for the penalty should have been dealt with better - obviously!). It was one of those games when the ball always seemed to land at the feet of the North Koreans, but that is often the case with the best teams. A shame the girls can't get through - they play with the sort of determination we expect from our national teams - but hopefully they can get something out of the Brazil game. Good luck girls!

I wasn't even sure if they were all women!! Are North Korean women not allowed to have long hair or something?

Shame we can't progress but hopefully we'll get something against Brazil on Tuesday.

We took a point off Brazil four years ago in Russia so there's no reason we can't match that.

The commentator did let slip a "he" at the start...

Once again, whose bright idea is to play Hannah Wall as a right back? Big, big fail.

Felt a bit sorry for Rosie White, she looked to be on the verge of crying for the rest of the game after giving away the penalty.

woah poor Switzerland have had 9 goals scored against them in 2 matches.  NZ's game on tonight on Sky and Tv1.  Go girls!

Game against Brazil live tonight at 12.30, Sky Sport 2.

Damn it! I need the sleep. Good luck girls, easy three points!

coverage on tv1 starts at 12:00am

Hope you're right FP.

kick off now

i wana watch this, but there is nowhere i can watch it.... dam this annoys me

1-0 Brazil.  Defensive meltdown.

Been pretty even to then.