A well-taken goal by Milly Clegg provided New Zealand’s highlight in the 3-1 loss to Germany at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India.
Clegg, who had scored her country’s only other goal at the tournament, showed her potential as a future Football Fern, taking advantage of one of the few clear chances created by the team.
Main photo: Joy as Clegg puts New Zealand back in the game with her 10th-minute goal.
Germany took an early lead at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium when a low cross from the left flank had three attackers lining up for the shot, before Loreen Bender struck it cleanly into the New Zealand net.
After 10 minutes, the New Zealanders levelled through Clegg’s clinical finish.
Put through on the left, she brushed off an attempted tackle and then adeptly curled her shot around the despairing dive of goalkeeper Lina Altenburg.
In the 34th minute, Germany’s Mara Alber curled a long free kick into the box, forcing ‘keeper Aimee Danielli to tip the ball away for a corner.
New Zealand had a let-off just before the break when a German shot struck the post and was cleared to safety.
Ten minutes into the second spell, Germany went ahead when Bender and Alber played a neat one-two, allowing Bender to tap in.
Germany extended their lead to 3-1 on the hour when Danieli brought down midfielder Alara Sehitler as she dribbled into the box. Sehitler scored from the spot.
The Germans went close to scoring twice more, being denied by the post in the 78th minute and by the crossbar in the 82nd minute.
The match statistics show the German dominance — they had almost two-thirds of the possession, and had 24 shots, compared to New Zealand’s six.
READ MORE: Our coverage of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup >>>>
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Result
Game played on Tuesday October 18, 2022 (NZT)
New Zealand 1 (Milly Clegg 10′)
Germany 3 (Loreen Bender 5′, 54′, Sehitler 60′ pen)
Match stats
(New Zealand / Germany)
Shots: 6 / 24
Shots on target: 2 / 7
Possession: 37% / 63%
Passes: 191 / 306
Pass accuracy: 44% / 65%
Fouls committed:9 / 6
Yellow cards: 3 / 0
Corners: 2 / 4
Offsides: 3 / 12
Line-up
New Zealand
Aimee Danieli, Suya Haering, Marie Green, Ella McMillan, Manaia Elliott (c) (Rebekah Trewhitt 65′), Alexis Cook (Charlotte Mortlock 46′), Lara Colpi (Olivia Page 81′), Helena Errington (Ruby Nathan 58′), Kiara Bercelli (Zoe Benson 58′), Milly Clegg, Olivia Ingham.
Subs not used: Madelaine Iro, Megan Simpson. Lara Smith.
Group B
Previous results
Game played on Saturday October 15, 2022 (NZT)
Click here for match report >>>>
New Zealand 0
Nigeria 4 (Amina Omowunmi Bello 16′, Miracle Usani 34′, Taiwo Afalobi 75′, Edidiong Etim 90+4′)
Game played on Wednesday October 12, 2022 (NZT)
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Chile 3 (Ambar Figuera 12′, Taii Rovner 22′ pen, Anals Cifuentes 64′)
New Zealand 1 (Milly Clegg 52′)
The squad
(club, home federation, school)
Aimee Danieli; Auckland United FC; NRF; Epsom Girls Grammar School
Alexis Cook; Northern Rovers FC ; NRF; Westlake Girls High School
Charlotte Eagle; Melville United AFC; WaiBoP; Hamilton Girls High
Charlotte Mortlock; Cashmere Technical; Mainland; Burnside High School
Ella McMillan; Phoenix Academy; Capital; AUT
Ella McCann; FC Nelson; Mainland; Waimea College
Emily (Milly) Clegg; Auckland United FC; NRF; Mount Albert Grammar
Helena Errington; Western Suburbs; Capital; Wellington Girls College
Kiara Bercelli; Alamein FC; Mainland; Te Kura
Lara Smith; Wellington United; Capital; Wellington Girls College
Lara Colpi; Western Springs AFC; NRF; Epsom Girls Grammar School
Madeleine Iro; Cashmere Technical; Mainland; Christchurch Girls High School
Manaia Elliott; Melville United AFC; WaiBoP; St Peters Cambridge
Marie Green; Ellerslie AFC; NRF; Baradene College
Megan Simpson; Nomads United AFC; Mainland; St Andrews College
Olivia Ingham; Phoenix Academy; Capital; Onslow College
Olivia Page; Eastern Suburbs AFC; NRF; Baradene College
Rebekah Trewhitt; PN Marist FC; Central; St Peters College PN
Ruby Nathan; Auckland United FC; NRF; Baradene College
Suya Hearing; Northern Rovers FC; NRF; Rangitoto College
Zoe Benson; Eastern Suburbs AFC; NRF; Macleans College
About the tournament
The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup takes place from October 11-30 in India .
The Young Football Ferns were nominated to be Oceania Football Confederation’s representatives at this World Cup after the Oceania qualifiers could not take place due to the effects of the COVID pandemic.
In 2018, the Young Football Ferns created history when they were the first New Zealand national team to bring home a medal at a FIFA event, when they won the bronze medal at the U-17 Women’s World Cup in Uruguay.
READ MORE: Our coverage of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup >>>>
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