(Reuters) – Coach Jitka Klimkova’s relief at seeing her New Zealand team break their six-game goal drought on Friday was tempered by injury concerns over midfielder Olivia Chance after the Football Ferns fought back to claim a 1-1 draw with Iceland in Turkey.
Hannah Wilkinson’s 34th minute header in Antalya cancelled out the opener from Dagny Brynjarsdottir as the Melbourne City striker scored New Zealand’s first goal since a 1-1 draw with South Korea in November.
“We’ve been waiting for this moment for so long,” said Klimkova.
“During our sessions we were putting the ball in the back of the net, we were more confident coming into this game and I’m very happy for Hannah Wilkinson that she scored the goal, for herself, for our team and for everyone back in New Zealand.”
New Zealand will co-host the Women’s World Cup finals with Australia in July and August and Klimkova’s side have struggled during their build-up to the tournament.
The Football Ferns have not won since handing the Philippines a 2-1 defeat in September and Klimkova, already dealing with the injury-enforced absences of Ria Percival and Annalie Longo, now has doubts over the availability of Chance.
The Celtic midfielder was replaced after a challenge with Sveindis Jane Jonsdottir to leave Klimkova sweating over her fitness with just over three months to go until New Zealand’s World Cup opener against Norway in Auckland on July 20.
“It was very quick,” Klimkova said of the incident. “During the halftime we tried to see if she can [play on] but unfortunately it looks like her knee, but I have to discuss more with our medical team.
“Hopefully it’s nothing major and she will be ready again to play for the Ferns.”
(Reporting by Michael Church in Hong Kong, Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
