Above: Annalie Longo (right) battles with her Mexican opponent. Photo: via Mexico Football
By Jonathon Hagger (24/10/2025)
MEXICO 1 – 0 NEW ZEALAND
The first of a trio of friendly matches for the New Zealand Football Ferns this international window did not go well for the travelling Football Ferns, after an early Aaliyah Farmer goal saw Mexico saw the Ferns lose to Mexico 1-0.
The first goal scoring opportunity came about in the eighth minute as a deflected pass fell at the feet of an unmarked Lizbeth Ovalle in the Ferns goal area, which was ultimately deflected out for a corner kick by a fully outstretched Liz Anton.
The Mexican women went ahead with the first goal of the match off a well taken corner kick that baffled the Ferns defenders, who appeared to be unaware of their required positional roles. An uncleared ball found the feet of Farmer who easily slotted the ball into the next, giving Mexico an early lead in the 9th minute.
The Mexican women played a possession-based game throughout the first half, building in phases and advancing confidently down the pitch. Whereas the Ferns – who were unable to keep possession for any length of time – resorted to playing counterattack football which was easily shut down by a well drilled defensive unit.
The remainder of the first fell into a slow rhythm with the Mexican women closing any opportunities for the Ferns, while the Ferns absorbed relentless pressure fending off wave after wave of attack. Halftime was taken with the score remaining at Mexico 1 – 0 to the Football Ferns.
The second half started in the same way that the first half finished – Mexico holding the ball deep inside the Ferns half, waiting for opportunities to present themselves, and attempting to score. Shots on goal and attempts to score played out in the first five minutes with the Ferns, once again, sitting on their heels trying desperately to at least get the ball through to the attacking midfielders but alas, without success.
An uncharacteristic lapse of concentration in the Mexican team created an opening for the Ferns to score in the 52nd minute. Poor clearance actions by Mexico gave the Ferns a rare chance to score as a well weighted chip by Michaela Foster into the path of a fast-moving Milly Clegg, forced the goalkeeper to punch the ball away into safety.
The introduction of Manaia Elliott provided some spark for the Ferns as she controlled the ball well on the left flank. Elliott injected herself into the play energetically right from her first touch of the ball.
The Ferns secured their first real goal scoring opportunity in the 63rd minute from a very irregular lack of clearance by Mexico. Kelli Brown fired a solid shot from the top of the goal area, forcing the Mexican goalkeeper into action. The shot was saved, and the Ferns earned an attacking corner. In the same way as the rest of the match, the attack was shut down by a dominant Mexican defensive unit.
The match snapped out of its lackluster speed beginning in the 75th minute as a defensive high press forced the Ferns into turning over possession of the ball in their own half. A strong shot struck from 10 feet out from the goal area by Montserrat Saldívar required Victoria Esson to activate her reflexes and force the ball away.
Mexico’s next threatening play came in the 81st minute with a speculative shot on goal by Ovalle that was taken with two hands by Esson, which was then followed up a mere minute later with the Mexican women stringing together passes that cut through weak Ferns defence.
Not wanting to settle for just one goal, the Mexican women upped the ante in the final five minutes of the match with wave after wave of attack. The Ferns defenders were caught floundering as the attackers ran past and through them. Esson’s heroics as goalkeeper made all the difference and saved the Ferns from an even bigger loss.
The Mexican women can take a lot of positives from the match as their chemistry was good and the quality of passing excellent. The Ferns on the other hand have a lot of work to do if they are going to keep attempting to implement the coaches’ desired system.
MEXICO: Barreras, Robles (79’), Bernal, Farmer (45’), Reyes, K Rodríguez (60’), Nieto, Delgadillo (68’), Corral (45’), Palacios (60’), Ovalle. Substitutes: Espino, Velasco, Espinoza (60’), A Rodríguez, Ordoñez (45’), Gutiérrez (79’), Delgado, Saldívar (68’), Granados, Soto, Martínez, Mendoza, Ferral (60’), Casárez, Hernández, Servín (45’), Ordoñez.
Goals: Farmer 9’
NEW ZEALAND: Esson, Anton, Foster, Taylor (54’), Hahn, Hand (54’), Kitching (78’), Longo (54’), Riley, Brown (63’), Clegg (63’). Substitutes: Barry, Blake, Bowen (54’), Bunge, Elliott (54’), Jackson (78’), Lake, Moore (54’), Neville, Pijnenburg (63’), Rennie (63’), Wall, Santos.
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