The New Zealand women's football coach Tony Readings believes his side deserved to beat World Champions Japan in last night's World Cup warm-up match in Kagawa.
The Football Ferns' Amber Hearn provided some highlights. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The 1-nil loss completed the Football Ferns final leg of their build-up for next month's FIFA World Cup.
The New Zealanders missed a few genuine goal scoring opportunities, including a second half penalty.
Readings says his team deserved better from a contest in which the New Zealanders more than matched their opponents in all areas.
"We thought we were the better team across the game, disappointed not to get at least a draw so very happy with the performance. We've just played the world champions away from home in front of a sell-out crowd and out-performed them, yet not got the result. So there's definitely lessons to learn but overall very very happy with the performance today and it gives us a great platform to go in to Canada with."
A 22nd minute strike from Homare Sawa eventually decided the match despite an energetic second period from the Football Ferns in which striker Hannah Wilkinson earned and missed a 48th minute penalty.
The defending FIFA Women's World Cup champions survived another scare on the hour mark as Amber Hearn headed towards an unguarded net before it was hooked clear off the line.
Readings believed they out-passed Japan and looked more comfortable in possession and despite the disappointment, it was a performance the side can leverage off.
Having had the better of the game up until the goal, Readings said the manner they conceded it serves as a timely reminder of how important the little details could be in Canada.
"I think you could pinpoint things on that corner we could have done better but there's a whole heap of things that could have been done one percent better across the pitch multiple times which would have made a big difference."
New Zealand travel to Canada later this week to continue preparations for their first match of the World Cup against the Netherlands on 7 June.
