Football: Pattern of poor performances continues as Football Ferns lose 5-0 against Portugal

The Football Ferns were beaten 5-0 by Portugal in Hamilton. Photo / Photosport

If this was a World Cup dress rehearsal, we should be very concerned for the Football Ferns.

Their pattern of poor performances continued on Friday night, as they slumped to an awful 5-0 loss to Portugal at Waikato Stadium.

The New Zealand squad had been vocal in their confidence ahead of the match but didn’t come close to backing it up on the field. They were outplayed, outclassed, out thought and out fought, in what was probably the worst performance of Jitka Klimkova’s tenure.

It got embarrassing in the second half, resembling a training run at times for the European side.

Portugal had taken a deserved 2-0 halftime lead – with an experimental lineup – before they completely bossed it in the second period when the cavalry came on. The result equalled the Fern’s record home defeat and could have been worse, as Portugal squandered several golden opportunities.

New Zealand had some chances but were mostly reduced to hopeful long balls. They struggled defensively with a new 3-5-2 shape, but the lack of general intensity and basic skill execution was of greater concern in their ninth defeat in the last 15 games.

Claudia Bunge, Kate Taylor and Katie Bowen were the central back three, flanked by CJ Bott and Ali Riley. The midfield trio was Olivia Chance, Malia Steinmetz and Betsy Hassett, with Gabi Rennie and Hannah Wilkinson up front.

Ahead of their World Cup playoff match next week, world No 22 Portugal rested several of their top-line players, with only five starters from their qualification matches late last year.

After early chances to both sides, Portugal’s opening goal was a beauty. A precise pass cut out three Ferns to create space before Jessica Silva judged her header perfectly from a floated cross. Just like against the United States, it was a preventable strike, with players caught out of position and too slow to react.

The Ferns briefly lifted after the concession. Rennie had the ball in the net a minute later but Wilkinson had strayed offside. Chance then found space inside the penalty area, but her shot from six yards was straight at the keeper.

Portugal, with their clever runs and neat passing rhythm, always looked more likely. They eschewed two good chances – with the goal at their mercy – before the 42nd-minute penalty. The decision needed a lengthy VAR referral but was ultimately correct after Taylor’s mistimed challenge, and Dolores Silva made no mistake from the spot.

Meikayla Moore and Paige Satchell entered the fray after halftime for Bunge and Rennie respectively, while Portugal brought on four top-liners. The visitors could have gone further ahead early in the second spell, before their third in the 64th minute, which was a catalogue of errors from the Ferns. Riley was caught out of position, Bowen tried to get too cute and Bott failed to track her player, which eventually led to Ana Capeta finishing at the far post.

It got worse for Portugal’s fourth, as the Ferns made a mess out of playing out from the back, allowing Capeta to grab her second with a neat finish, before Tatiana Pinto completed the humiliation with a far post header.

Football Ferns 0

Portugal 5 (Ana Capeta 2, Jessica Silva, Dolores Silva, Tatiana Pinto)

HT: 0-2