Rosie White leads way as Youth Ferns qualify for Germany in style

Rosie White helped herself to five goals as New Zealand sealed qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Germany with an 11-0 win over Tonga on the final day of the OFC U-20 Women's Championships at North Harbour Stadium today.

The 16-year old, who claimed both the golden boot and player of the tournament awards with nine goals from three games, opened the scoring in the third minute completed her hat trick on the half hour mark as the Junior Football Ferns made sure of their ticket to the 16-team finals with a blistering start.

"We wanted to go out really hard at the beginning, as we felt that we started a bit sloppy against the Cook Islands," said New Zealand coach Tony Readings, "but this time I think we were four goals up after about quarter of an hour."

"We've got no complains about the way we qualified. The players were professional throughout, we've kept three sheets and scored some good goals so I'm very happy."

Nadia Pearl, in for the injured Annalie Longo in midfield, set up White's second in the 10th minute and grabbed one herself with a tap-in thanks to Hannah Wilkinson's good work down the left .

Lauren Mathis blasted New Zealand into a 4-0 lead with less than 20 minutes up on the clock, and after providing the pass for White's third goal, Wilkinson tucked away the Junior Ferns' sixth after 35 minutes.

A first international goal for defender Chelsey Wood - sister of All Whites striker Chris - and another from White capped an impressive first half performance from New Zealand who took an imposing 8-0 lead into halftime.

White made it nine with her fifth four in to the second spell, but the scoring dried up for 30 minutes as a congested Tongan defence, some good keeping from Vaisioa Niukapu, and on three occasions the cross bar, kept the New Zealanders at bay until a 79th minute Elise Mamanu-Gray header and a thundering Sarah McLaughlin shot on full time completed the lop-sided win.

The players now get a break for two weeks before resuming training, although a handful will be eyeing places in the Football Ferns for an Auckland-based two match international series against Australia in February.

Youth Ferns captain Anna Green is one of those players hoping to retain her place in the senior line-up but her thoughts after the victory over Tonga were only about Germany and the July 13 to August 1 Women's Youth (U20) finals.

"We're really excited to have qualified. Rosie White was an obvious standout with five goals today but I think it was a great team performance," Green said.

"We'll be working very hard but hopefully it'll all be worth it when we are in Germany."

Green, one of 10 veterans of the 2008 New Zealand side that would have qualified for the quarter-finals of the FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile but for a last second equaliser conceded against England, says the current crop of players are good enough to put that memory to bed.

"There's unfinished business there but we've got the potential to qualify for the knockout stages and hopefully we can prove that come July."

Earlier in the day the Cook Islands beat American Samoa to pip Tonga for second place on goal differential.

OFC U-20 Women's Championship Match day two Saturday, 25 January 2010 North Harbour Stadium (Domain 3) New Zealand 11 (Rosie WHITE 3, 10, 30, 43, 49; Nadia PEARL 15, Lauren MATHIS 19, Hannah WILKINSON 35, Chelsey WOOD 41, Elise MAMANU-GRAY 79, Sarah MCLAUGHLIN 90) Cook Islands 0 Halftime: 8-0

New Zealand: 1-Victoria ESSON (GK), 3-Anna GREEN (Captain / 2-Caitlin CAMPBELL 46), 4-Chelsey WOOD, 5-Briony FISHER, 7-Elise MAMANU-GRAY, 8-Sarah MCLAUGHLIN, 11-Rosie WHITE, 13-Nadia PEARL (19-Lauren MURRAY 67) , 14-Elizabeth MILNE, 16-Hannah WILKINSON, 18-Lauren MATHIS (15-Emily COOPER 46)
Subs not used: 6-Bridgette ARMSTRONG, 9-Hannah WALL, 10-Annalie LONGO, 12-Claudia CRASBORN, 17-Teri Amber CARLSON, 20-Erin Nayler (GK).

Tonga: 1-Vaisioa Niukapu (GK), 2-Buccilea Ongolea, 3-Anne Marie Taukapo, 4-Kiana Muamoholeva, 6-Pauline Tonga, 7-Mele Soakai, 8-Kalina Mamao (5-Loata Lotoaniu 25), 9-Vasi Feke, 10-Heilala Lotoaniu, 11-Penateti Feke, 15-Suliana Utaatu
Subs not used: 12-Lynette Sifa, 13-Victoria Minioneti, 14-Otumotulalo Halangahu, 16-Maletina Suluka Cook Islands 4 American Samoa 0

OFC Youth Championship Standings

Golden Boot