Keeper’s save earns draw

Football Ferns skipper and goalkeeper Vic Esson brilliantly saved a penalty to salvage a 1-1 draw in front of her Christchurch home crowd. Esson had conceded a spotkick in the 82nd minute at Orangetheory Stadium yesterday when she upended Lee Guem-min. But she atoned superbly by diving to her right to beat away Son Hwa-yeon’s penalty attempt before being buried in bear hugs from her team-mates. The Football Ferns missed a rare opportunity to celebrate a win over higher-ranked opposition when Liv Chance’s early goal was cancelled out by a South Korea equaliser in Christchurch. Park Yee-un’s 56th minute goal ultimately earned Korea a 1-1 draw after the visitors had won the first leg 1-0 on Saturday.