Football Ferns rout Tonga in opener

The Football Ferns have claimed a predictably dominant win to open their latest campaign.

They beat Tonga 11-0 in their first game under new coach Tom Sermanni at the OFC women's nations cup in New Caledonia.

Rosie White, Annalie Longo, Betsy Hassett and Sarah Gregorius all scored two each in the first half to take New Zealand to anĀ  8-0 halftime lead.

At that point Sermanni made three changes, taking off White, Longo and captain Ali Riley.

However, it did not slow down the scoring too much.

Gregorious completed a hat-trick in the 51st minute, moving into third on the all-time goal- scorers for the Football Ferns in the process.

She now has 28 goals and is behind Amber Hearn (54) and Wendy Sharpe (34).

Ria Percival added the side's 10th from a set-piece in the 67th minute, before Grace Jale completed the rout in the 88th minute.

The margin was still well off the side's biggest win _ a 21-0 drubbing of Samoa in 1998.

New Zealand now plays the Cook Islands on Thursday and Fiji on Monday to complete its group phase.

The winner of the tournament qualifies for next year's Women's World Cup, as well as the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

OFC Women's Nations Cup
New Zealand 11 (Rosie White 8', 14', Annalie Longo 9', 13', Betsy Hassett 34', 35', Sarah
Gregorius 37', 39', 51', Ria Percival 67', Grace Jale 88')
Tonga 0
HT: 8-0

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