The New Zealand Women's football team had $2.7 million dollars pumped into their buildup over the last three years. The success of High Performance Sport's investment would be judged on their performance, and achievements, at the Women's World Cup. Progression to the knockout stages would meet HPNZ's key indicators, anything less and the side would risk having their funding slashed for next year's Olympics.
The tournament:
In the Ferns' first game against the Netherlands they had a stone-wall penalty turned down and lost 1-0. In their second game against Canada, one of the tournament favourites, NZ missed a penalty in their 0-0 draw.
So it all came down to their final group game against China.
The Ferns would progress to the knockout stages, along with an estimated million dollars in funding from HPSNZ, with a win. Anything else and the Ferns would head home and some of their six full-time staff's jobs could be in jeopardy.
The game:
The Ferns played their best football of the tournament to go 1-0 up. The referee then produced a howler of a decision to award a handball and penalty against Kiwi Betsy Hassett, despite the ball not touching her hand or arm.
China converted the penalty, then went 2-1 up, before New Zealand quickly respond, setting up a thrilling final 20 minutes.
But China just needed a draw to progress and started pushing the limits of sportsmanship. Both coaches were feeling the stress. There was over-acting with injuries from the Chinese, blatant time wasting and snail-pace recovery when the ball went out of play - all within the bounds of the game. But then the coach got involved.
The incident:
Chinese coach Hao Wei was dismissed from the technical area by the referee after he appeared to deliberately obstruct Ria Percival from taking a throw in. He applauded the crowd on his way out of the Stadium with a huge smile on his face.
The aftermath:
China progressed after the game finished 2-2 and Wei was glowing in celebration. High fives, double fist pumps, clapping the crowd - he was loving it. Then he approached the NZ bench. But as he went for the standard after-match handshake he was turned down. Readings was ice cold.
Is it ok?
Neither party came away from this looking good, but Readings' actions have been backed by New Zealand Football and will likely be viewed as a 'show of solidarity' among the Ferns squad.
It was an emotional decision to snuff the shake, and the Ferns coach felt Wei's actions did not deserve respect.
The Kiwi public seem split on the decision. After 2000 votes in the NZherald.co.nz online poll, 53 percent agree the handshake snub was the right play, while 46 percent believe he should have 'been the bigger man.'
