📰 Football Ferns edge Venezuela for bounce back win

The Football Ferns have bounced back to earn their first win under Michael Mayne as fulltime coach, earning a 2-1 victory over Venezuela in Spain.

Jacqui Hand scored the winner in the 73rd minute for Mayne’s maiden win since being named as head coach last month – a role he had been doing as interim coach.

The Ferns lost their opening game 3-1 over the weekend, despite Venezuela being ranked 19 places lower than them in the Fifa rankings.

In the 12th minute, Katie Kitching missed a penalty which would have given New Zealand an early lead – striking the post with her attempt.

Venezuela opened the scoring in the 41st minute through Mariana Speckmaier when Ferns goalie Victoria Esson and defender Meikayla Moore failed to clear away a save. Speckmaier quickly got onto the rebound to score.

But New Zealand answered back four minutes later when Kelli Brown found Milly Clegg open in the box and she slotted the equaliser to make it 1-1 at the break.

Hand’s winner was set up after some strong work by Manaia Elliott, who recovered the ball near the corner and beat two defenders before passing to Hand in the box for her to hit the winner.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission.