Ferns concede late goal in loss
The Football Ferns have conceded late to lose 2-1 to Norway in the third-place playoff at the Algarve Cup.
Caroline Graham Hansen took advantage of a bad touch from Rebekah Stott in her own area and fired her shot past Erin Nayler with four minutes to play.
It was the fourth time in their past eight matches that the Ferns had conceded a result-changing goal inside the last 10 minutes
Hannah Wilkinson put the Ferns in front 10 minutes in, but Synne Jensen replied five minutes later, and for a long time it appeared the match would be headed to a penalty shootout.
Tom Sermanni returned to his first-choice XI for the match at Estadio Algarve in Portugal, with Nayler replacing Anna Leat in goal, Claudia Bunge replacing Steph
At a glance
Algarve Cup, third place playoff Norway 2 (Synne Jensen 15’, Caroline Graham Hansen 86’) Football Ferns 1 (Hannah Wilkinson 10’). HT: 1-1.
Skilton at the back after serving a suspension, and Olivia Chance and Betsy Hassett replacing Annalie Longo and Rosie White either side of Wilkinson up front.
Norway were the dominant side in the opening 10 minutes, forcing Ferns centre backs Bunge and Stott to make crucial blocks almost immediately as the game began.
It was the Ferns who struck first however, with their first real attack of the game.
The ball had fallen to skipper Ali Riley just inside her own half, and she went on a surging run to the edge of the Norwegian box before playing a through ball for Wilkinson, who finished with a firsttime shot from close range.
It was Wilkinson’s first international goal since September 2017, when she scored in a loss to the United States, and just reward for the good positions she had found herself in throughout the tournament.
The lead didn’t last long, however, as Stott advanced through midfield but gave away possession in a dangerous area, allowing Norway to launch a counterattack.
Jensen ran at Bunge down the left and was able to get the better of her, then fired a shot past goalkeeper Nayler that bounced off the near post and in.
The Football Ferns’ recent habit of conceding late goals hung over the final stages of the match and after they went behind, they could only muster one genuine effort – a White shot from distance that went just side.