A frustrated New Zealand coach Tony Readings felt they deserved better from a performance which thoroughly tested the tourists. Photo / Thinkstock
A frustrated New Zealand coach Tony Readings felt they deserved better from a performance which thoroughly tested the tourists. Photo / Thinkstock
Scoring chances were few and far between last night as the Football Ferns and Brazil battled to a scoreless draw at Owen Delany Park in Taupo.
Playing their 200th international match, the New Zealand side couldn't find the same rhythm in possession in cold conditions in front of 1507 fansin Taupo as they produced in Monday's 1-1 draw in Auckland with both teams limiting quality scoring chances for the other.
The closest either side came to scoring was a New Zealand header which crashed back off the crossbar in stoppage time from a Ria Percival corner while Erin Nayler did superbly to save a goal-bound Brazilian effort at point blank range mid-way through the first half.
The Brazilians are the world No 6 team and the Football Ferns 20th.
On Monday, Brazil scored two minutes in but the Football Ferns equalised with just five minutes to spare before the final whistle when Rosie White headed in a cross off Hannah Wilkinson.
A frustrated New Zealand coach Tony Readings felt they deserved better from a performance which thoroughly tested the tourists.
"We've played like that all year and similar to today we've not got the rewards we could have from the game," Readings said, excited how the Kiwis had improved in the past few years to lure top teams in the world, such as Brazil, to compete here.
