The Junior Football Ferns secured a point in their opening game of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2022 Costa Rica against Mexico this morning.

The high point of the game for the Kiwis came in the 31st minute. The deadlock was broken as Grace Wisnewski surged forward from just inside the Ferns’ half and unleashed a shot that took a deflection off Mexico defender Carrera Cazares and dropped past goalkeeper Celeste Espino.

While ultimately deemed an own goal by Cazares, it continued Wisnewski’s fine form in front of goal at age group world cups – the midfielder netted three at the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup as the Young Football Ferns secured a historic third place finish (coincidentally, Mexico were finalists at that tournament too).

And while viewers from Aotearoa and beyond were convinced that the goal should have been credited to Wisnewski, head coach Gemma Lewis revealed afterwards that ‘Wiz’ had downplayed her involvement in the game’s opener.

“She's been like, ‘no, it's not my goal, it doesn't count’, but we are like, ‘no, no, we feel like it should be your goal!’” says Lewis.

“She was definitely trying to be positive and the attack that she started and drove in the fashion that she was led to the goal - I think she was secretly manifesting a goal! So it was nice that something came her way.”

Wisnewski celebrates with Ava Collins. Credit: Photosport

The Junior Football Ferns couldn’t quite hold onto the lead going into the break, as a defensive lapse resulted in Anette Vázquez equalising for the Central Americans just before the half time whistle.

While disappointed to have relinquished the lead, Lewis was pleased with her team’s efforts in the heat and humidity of Alajuela.

“We had some good momentum. I thought in the first half we started aggressively, and I thought that put Mexico a little on the back foot. But then they built into the game a bit.

“Conceding late in the first half is a difficult time to concede and changed the game a bit for us. In the second half we came out better and had probably a good 20 minutes before we started to fade and the momentum shifted in Mexico's favour. Then it turned into securing a point rather than chasing the win – whereas originally in moments of the game we really wanted to capitalize and get all three points. But by the end of it were happy to secure the point.”

“A handful of people had a really good game for us – it’s hard to single certain people out.

“Murphy [Sheaff] did really well, particularly in terms of controlling the box and coming from crosses. Kate Taylor showed her class at times, and did really well. We chucked Tui [Dugan] in as a fullback, and I thought she did really well, especially on one-v-ones defensively. As it’s not her normal position, I thought she did really well in that space. And both of our midfielders, Wiz and Aniela [Jensen] broke up so much play and kept us in the game, getting on the ball, starting attacks.”  

Aniela Jensen goes in for a tackle. Credit: FIFA/Getty

With just two days in between games, attention now turns to the Junior Football Ferns’ next opponents – three-time winners Germany, who went down 1-0 to Colombia – a surprise result in Group B’s other match today.

“Playing Germany is an extremely tough matchup anyway, but now we're playing them when they're probably a bit angry and have a point to prove,” reflects Lewis.

“Recovery is the number one focus now,” says Lewis.

“What can we do to get them as close to a hundred percent before the next game is possible - especially because the way we like to play relies on quite a strong physical element.

Second to that is looking back through our game, previewing what we can expect from Germany and focusing on those big rocks we can change or slightly improve on or adjust.”

Starting XI

18. Murphy Sheaff (GK), 5. Marisa van der Meer, 20. Jana Niedermayr, 3. Kate Taylor (C), 7. Tupelo (Tui) Dugan, 8. Grace Wisnewski, 6. Aniela Jensen, 10. Alyssa Whinham, 12. Ava Collins, 9. Ava Pritchard, 14. Emily (Milly) Clegg

Substitutions:

64’ – Clegg off, 11. Charlotte Lancaster on

71’ – Dugan off, 2. Zoe McMeeken on

80’ – Taylor off, 4. Te Reremoana Walker on. Whinham off, 15. Charlotte Wilford Carroll on

Unused substitutes:

1. Brianna Edwards (GK), 13. Emma Pijnenburg, 16. Ruby Nathan, 17. Ella Findlay, 19. Macey Fraser, 21. Rylee Godbold

Article added: Thursday 11 August 2022