NAPIER, New Zealand — Co-host New Zealand pulled off a confidence-boosting win 10 days earlier than dealing with Norway within the opening match of the Women’s World Cup, beating Vietnam 2-0 on Monday in its final warm-up recreation.

The win was well timed, ending the Football Ferns’ 10-match winless streak.

Right again C.J. Bott scored from a nook within the seventeenth minute, firing residence a shot from lengthy vary which was deflected by Vietnam defender Thi Thu Thao Tran.

Jacqui Hand scored simply earlier than halftime to offer New Zealand a 2-0 lead, which endured all through the second half. Indiah-Paige Riley delivered a cross from the suitable and Hand had a easy faucet in on the left submit.

New Zealand was extra proactive in entrance of objective than it has been for a while underneath coach Jitka Klimkova, taking 19 pictures to Vietnam’s one within the first half alone.

While it couldn’t add to its lead within the second half, New Zealand continued to check the Vietnam goalkeeper.

Both groups averted any late damage issues earlier than the World Cup, being co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia, kicks off at Auckland’s Eden Park on July 20.

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