After a rampant start, the Football Ferns were made to work for their opening win in their quest to qualify for their fifth straight Olympic women’s football tournament, in Paris in August.
The New Zealand side, the defending champions, beat Tonga 3-0 at the F.F.S. Football Stadium in Tuanaimato, Samoa.
The signs were ominous from the outset, with Grace Jale opening the scoring in the second minute after the Tongan defence failed to clear from a corner.
The New Zealanders had arrived in Apia from destinations across the globe but took little time to adjust to the sweltering heat as they ran the Tongan defence ragged in the opening quarter of an hour.
Ally Green added the second goal from a penalty after Mackenzie Barry was cut down just inside the area. Jale had her second in the 16th minute when she cut inside and placed a curling right-footed shot into the far corner.
Tongan keeper Madison Tenifa was constantly in the action and made some good saves to deny the Ferns, who failed to add to their tally in the final 30 minutes of the half.
While New Zealand controlled possession in the second spell, Jitka Klimkova’s side struggled to create many clear-cut opportunities. The Tongan effort in defence was impressive. They kept their shape, were compact and dealt with most of the New Zealand attacks throughout the second half.
The Football Ferns used their five permitted substitutes as the players wilted in the afternoon sun.
