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May Newsletter New Zealand clinches record series win The Young Football Ferns made football history last month becoming the first women’s team to win back-to-back trans-Tasman matches on Australian soil. After a 1-0 loss to the same team in February, the Kiwis showed vast improvement smashing eight unanswered goals passed the home side. The 4-0 score line in both games is the biggest football win by New Zealand over Australia at any level, breaking a long-standing record held by the All Whites with their 4-1 win over Australia in 1923. In the third and final match of the tour the Young Ferns went down 4-2 to the Australia U-20s side. Coach Paul Temple says the series win in Canberra has given his team a massive confidence boost. “The girls take a lot of pride in these results and the fact that all the hard work put in over the last few months is paying off,” he says. “All in all, we scored 10 goals and kept two clean sheets in three internationals against Australia. We’re over the moon.” The victories were the first for Temple’s side since beginning preparations just a few months ago for the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.  In the first game on Tuesday, April 15, striker Hannah Wall bagged a goal in each half, while midfielder Nadia Pearl and Caitlin Campbell – who created two goals from her new position of right fullback – also got on the scoresheet. The follow-up match two days later saw strikers Sarah McLaughlin and Lauren Murray both score twice. Temple singled out Nadia Pearl for having a significant impact in the two wins. “Nadia was fantastic on Tuesday and again on Thursday with the way she controlled the game from midfield,” he says. “She’s really embraced the vice-captaincy role on and off the field.” The Young Ferns got off to a flyer in their third match against the Australian U-20 match with a Sarah McLaughlin goal in the first minute. But the Young Matildas found their feet with two Kyah Simon goals in as many minutes midway through the first spell, and scored another through Terese Polias to close out the half with a comfortable 3-1 lead. Nicola Bolger made it 4-1 ten minutes after halftime, but New Zealand finally had reward for their attacking forays eight minutes from time as Leah Gallie turned home Caitlin Campbell’s shot as it slashed it’s way across goal.
“We worked really well as a team throughout the week and there was trust in each other we hadn't had before,” she says. “There was an amazing emotional lift whenever goals went in and I feel we got what we deserved after all the effort and preparation. As captain I’m so proud to be leading these girls – I love them all!” Results: April 15, Canberra New Zealand:Charlotte Wood (GK), Caitlin Campbell, Briony Fisher (Captain), Yumi Nguyen, Anna Fullerton (Mega Shea 60), Katie Bowen (Lauren Murray 65), Leah Gallie (Emily Cooper 68), Nadia Pearl (Kate Loye 80), Claudia Crasborn, Sarah McLaughlin, Hannah Wall. April 17, Canberra |
New Zealand 4 (Lauren Murray 3/40, Sarah McLaughlin 23/33) |  |
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Captain Briony Fisher says it was disappointing to end the tour with a loss but they still took a lot of heart from the Australian tour. 
