New Zealand v England - as it happened

England's men began last year's World Cup with a 1-1 draw, and followed it up with a 0-0 bore. The Under-21s did the same last month. Readers, you know where this is heading. And on a Friday evening as well! So England need to win. Not my words, but those of Fara Williams. The Pulitzer will have to wait. The build-up to this one has been slightly frazzled. New Zealand's coach, John Herdman, has called England "predictable" and "rigid", although let's just remember that we're not the ones who lost to Japan in our first game. Herdman also says that England have "key players" who they'll rely on, which isn't exactly up there with Jorge Valdano's "shit on a stick" comments. Is there a side about that doesn't rely on key players? England aren't taking those comments lying down though. This could all backfire on Herdman – English and thus a traitor – with Hope Powell planning to use the comments to motivate her side. IT IS ON! Herdman isn't the only Englishman taking potshots at England though. Eniola Aluko has had to contend with what she's called "poisonous and intrusive" messages on Twitter after she missed a few chances against Mexico. Were they all from perennial stalker of footballers, Piers Morgan? In a way, at least this demonstrates that the women are getting the same treatment as the men. In another way though, well done, everybody, well done! That said, I did enjoy the way that Aluko decided to respond to the comments, a withering two-fingered salute to her internet chums. "Comment all you like on me, but when people '@' me and write directly to me, I don't appreciate it. It's intrusive and it's poisonous. If you're an England fan and you want me to improve for the next game, and write 'You're shit', I don't appreciate it and I don't need it. You can't lace my boots, you're sitting on your sofa behind your keyboard, the next game you'll ask me for my autograph. So don't write shit about me when I'm a good player and I can go into the next game and perform really well." Hopefully she'll follow that up with a hat-trick this evening. Or else, Eniola. Or else. New Zealand: Bindon; Bowen, Percival, Green, Erceg; Smith, Riley, Hoyle, Hassett; Gregorius, Hearne. Subs: Clansey, Nayler, Moorwood, Yallop, White, McLaughlin, Kete, Longo, Wilkinson, Hill. England: Bardsley; Alex Scott, Unitt, Faye White, Stoney; Aluko, Williams, Jill Scott, Yankey; Smith, Ellen White. Subs: Brown, Chamberlain, Clarke, Carney, Bradley, Houghton, Bassett, Asante, Susi, Rafferty. Referee: Therese Neguel (Cameroon) Our first email. "C'mon, think positive, says Philippa Booth. "Maybe it'll be a five goal thriller decided in injury time with a 30-yard screamer from Eniola Aluko! Or maybe not. Anyway - good to see an MBM up, looking forward to it." It is good indeed, but it nearly didn't happen - I very nearly just locked myself in the Guardian toilets. There is the potential for high farce here. Due to the small matter of Andy Murray on the tellybox, this match is only being shown on the BBC website - and the screen is very small. Martin Keown barely fits in. He looks very bespoke these days though. The sound's also not working. This could be a laugh. I might go and lock myself in the toilet again. The teams are in the tunnel. Guy Mowbray's in my ear. Turn the sound off! Turn the sound off! And those were the national anthems. Textbook stuff. It's much more pleasant when it's not John Terry belting it out. 1 min: New Zealand, all in white and attacking from left to right, get us going. England are in red, since you ask. New Zealand have never picked up a point in the World Cup, so England will do well to lose this. With Japan having beaten Mexico 4-0 earlier, it's vital that they don't. 2 min: It's a low-key start, although England look the more confident side from what little we've seen so far. New Zealand have hit a few fruitless long balls, whereas England are looking to keep it on the floor and work the ball wide. 3 min: Brilliant play from Yankey on the left, as she twists and turns and slithers past two markers. She fires in a fine low cross as well, but it's blocked behind by Smith with Ellen White working. Aluko's corner comes to nothing however. 4 min: England are keeping the pressure up and have another corner on the left. It's a fine delivery as well, outswinging towards the centre of the box, but on the stretch Jill Scott can only head well wide of the right post. "I have a correction," says Joshua Reynolds. "It's much more pleasant when it's not John Terry' in any capacity." 6 min: It's all England. Incidentally I played against a New Zealand team in five-a-side on Wednesday night. What have we learned from this? I scored two goals. 7 min: Unitt hoicks in a deep free-kick from the left. Ellen White flicks it on but Bindon claims easily under a spot of pressure. 8 min: This looks serious for Kelly Smith. She landed awkwardly as she challenged for that last free-kick and seems to have hurt her ankle. Her participation may be at an end. 10 min: For the time being, England are down to 10 women with Kelly Smith getting treatment off the pitch. Not that New Zealand look like being able to take advantage. 11 min: Kelly Smith is going to give it a go. She's back on - it's her left ankle which has taken the blow by the way. 12 min: Great harrying from Ellen White sees her rob the Percival, who was dawdling on the ball. She hared towards goal, but was ultimately stopped by the imposing Erceg, who stood up to the challenge well. She ushered White wide, and then easily deflected a weak shot wide for a corner on the right. Yankey took it, but again New Zealand coped comfortably enough. 13 min: Williams has a fierce crack from distance but it's straight at Bindon, who pats it down with disdain. Let no one slag off women goalkeepers again. That was competently done. But still, England are pushing forward. New Zealand aren't exactly on the rack, but they'll be a goal down if this continues. 15 min: Aluko tricks her way past Riley on the left goal-line quite brilliantly. It seemed there was no space at all, but she went past the New Zealand defender as if she wasn't there. However her cut-back was poor and easily cut out. Everyone on to Twitter then. 17 min: Finally New Zealand come to life, as Hassett bursts into the England area from the right. She slightly over-runs the ball, but was well within her right to go down after she was seemingly clipped from behind by Alex Scott. That was a clear penalty, but instead Hassett was too honest for her own good and only got a corner. GOAL! New Zealand 1-0 England (Gregorius 18 min): Disaster for England! After all their dominance, they're in a spot of bother now. A clever ball was knocked into the inside-left channel for Hearn to chase, and she got there ahead of Faye White, who was too slow to react. Hearn got into the area and did the right thing, looping the ball across the face of goal, into that corridor of uncertainty. Although there were two England defenders, Unitt and Stoney, covering, both were facing their own goal and were afraid of scoring an own goal, meaning the tiny Gregorius was able to sneak in between both of them and poke the ball into the bottom-left corner. 22 min: Looking to hit back immediately, England pour forward and Williams pings a swerving effort a few yards wide of the left post from 25 yards out. Bindon dived for it, but more for show than anything else. 23 min: Somehow, despite the presence of three New Zealand defender around her, Kelly Smith manages to turn and wriggle away from the lot of them. She fired the ball into the six-yard box but again Erceg was on hand to clear. They defend well, New Zealand. By the by, Mel C is in the vicinity, supporting England. Joshua Reynolds has noticed. "I think I know what the problem with the English team is," he says. "They should have had Sporty Spice in a snazzy English blazer on the sidelines as the official mascot. How did the FA overlook this obviousness?" 25 min: Mel C's a bit better than what's going on at the tennis though. Corden and McIntyre are sitting together. That's bound to be a laugh riot. 27 min: It's been said repeatedly that no team works harder than New Zealand, so going behind to them early on probably isn't the best idea. England have been the better side, but that was a real shock to the system. England look a little stunned. 29 min: Aluko - England's most dangerous player so far - scampers down the left again and hooks the ball back to the edge of the area for Kelly Smith, whose scuffed shot is too hurried. A New Zealand boot gets in the way again. England just need to find the final pass, because they're getting into very presentable positions. 31 min: Aluko sprays a lovely cross-field pass out to Yankey on the right. Yankey kills it first time and then ducks inside on to her left foot - think Messi or Robben - and then smashes a shot wide of the far post. Encouraging. 33 min: As it stands, England are third in the group. With Japan still to come, they really can't afford to lose this. 35 min: England haven't really had a decent chance, and most of their shots have come from outside the area. This being a case in point. Kelly Smith, seemingly free from injury after that early knock, goes on a strong run through the middle, charging at a backtracking New Zealand defence. Again she seemed to lose her nerve and concentration at the crucial moment, dragging a weak shot well wide of the right post. 36 min: England need to get Yankey and Aluko into the game more. Currently it's all bit ragged. 38 min: What a waste from Gregorius. This should be 2-0 and England could well have been out of it. She got in behind the England defence again as Stoney, who's having a bit of a nightmare, failed to cut out a through-ball from Hearne. Through on goal, Gregorius crucially got the ball stuck under her feet, allowing Unitt to storm back and make an excellent last-ditch tackle just as the New Zealand forward was about to shoot. If her timing had been slightly off, it would have been a penalty. 41 min: It's fair to say the German crowd is most certainly not behind England. 43 min: England are short on ideas at the moment. 44 min: For the first time, Kelly Smith gets in behind the New Zealand defence after a clever reverse-pass from Aluko. The angle's not great though, and a deflection takes the sting out of the shot, Bindon saving easily. Peep! Peep! The half-time whistle blows and England have some work to do. Half time: New Zealand 1-0 England. 46 min: We're off again. Karren Carney is on for Eniola Aluko. That's a surprise, but we get on with it.New Zealand have made a change as well ... but I missed it. More when I know. Moorwood is on, but I'm not sure who went off. 47 min: Hearne nearly makes it two again, but directs a looping header on to the top of the net from close range after a good run and cross from Gregorius. Bardsley was beaten. 49 min: "Weren't the women supposed to be better, relatively than the men?" says Aidan Gibson. "All I see is long balls getting launched into the mixer, a shaky defence and a poor attack. Oh, and an incompetent manager. They're exactly the same, just like every England team." Fun being English, isn't it? 50 min: Katie Hoyle makes her 457th match of the match and still hasn't been booked. 52 min: Another foul from Hoyle. No booking. She's going to have to admit to liking Lovejoy on Football to grab the referee's attention at this rate. 55 min: The following has happened in this half: 57 min: It's getting increasingly difficult to see England scoring. They weren't bad in the first half, but they seem to have not a single clue of how to breach this stubborn New Zealand defence at the moment. 59 min: England are losing, Nadal's taking Murray to the cleaners ... David Haye must be getting nervous. 60 min: Finally England cause some bother in the New Zealand defence but with a clear sight of goal on the edge of the area, Carney mis-hits her shot. She should have at least given Bindon something to think about. "Commentator (think ESPN - poss Eurosport) has just commented on the parallel between New Zealand having recently suffered a disaster and...them playing in Dresden," says Philippa Booth. "Which also suffered during the war. Weirdest non-sequiteur in football commentary?" WHAT A GOAL!!! New Zealand 1-1 England (Jill Scott, 63 min): Out of nothing, just as I was starting to fall asleep, England equalise! This is an absolutely marvellous goal. The ball was touched back to Alex Scott on the right. Without taking her touch, she whipped a delicious cross to the far post, where Jill Scott rose highest to direct an unstoppable header into the top-left corner from six yards out. Bindon didn't bother moving, but it was all about the cross - it was almost Beckham-esque. 65 min: A spring in their step, England are on the front foot now, and Kelly Smith dashes forward once more and pings a dipping drive just past the right post. It took a deflection on its way, although Bindon seemed to have it covered. Before the corner's taken, Jess Clarke comes on for Rachel Yankey. From the corner, New Zealand can't get it clear and breathe a sigh of relief as Ellen White hooks an overhead kick wide from eight yards out. 66 min: It must be stated that England goal was of the very highest quality. It was going to take something special to trouble New Zealand, and that's precisely what we got. 71 min: England have lost a little of their momentum again. New Zealand make another change, Rosie White on for Ria Percival. 72 min: Rosie White nearly restores New Zealand's lead with her very first touch. It was sloppy defending from England that led to the chance, Ellen White giving the ball away on the left. Her pass to Unitt was short, and Riley bravely charged it down, before driving into the area. She clipped the ball across, but it was just behind Rosie White, who was a mere six yards from goal. Just on, she was unable to contort her body to slam the ball past Bardsley. What an escape for England, who have rather gone to sleep since their equaliser. 75 min: "In reply to Philippa Booth, yes, it's ESPN; the culprit is Adrian Healey," says Edward Chukwurah. "I'll just assume he got bored with his co-commentator and had to say something." 76 min: "If the England Goal was so Special, why haven't you bothered to describe it?" says Bruce Ferrie. "Not that you gave any description at all of the New Zealand goal. What use is a minute-by-minute commentary that leaves out the most important moments in the match?" Back in your box, Bruce. The idea is that we post that a goal's been scored, to let you, the reader, know, and then we go back to write a description. You then press refresh. Do so and you'll note there's plenty written about both goals. 79 min: Moorwood teases Unitt on the left, before working space for a cross, which Alex Scott hooks behind for a corner. GOAL! New Zealand 1-2 England (Clarke, 81 min): The comeback is complete! And what a howler from Bindon, who had just made a great save to stop Ellen White giving England the lead with a low shot towards the bottom-left corner from close range. Although New Zealand managed to hack the ball clear, England kept the pressure up and refused to let them out of the area. On the left, Unitt swung in a high, diagonal cross which tempted Bindon to come - only for her to faff her weak punch straight at the feet of Jill Scott. The ball sat at an awkward height, meaning she didn't feel comfortable shooting despite the empty goal. Instead she retained her composure, and dummied inside, seemingly taking an age to decide what to do. It looked like the chance had gone but instead she stayed calm and touched the ball to the left for Clarke, and the substitute unerringly smashed the ball into the top corner, past the defender on the line! What an emphtatic finish that was. 85 min: Actually, I give Jill Scott too much credit. The ball didn't reach Clarke because of a pass from Jill Scott, but instead a dismal, shanked shot from her team-mate! Still, they all count. 86 min: Faye White goes off, Sophie Bradley comes on. 88 min: Bindon slightly redeems herself for her mistake a few minutes ago with a smart stop with her feet to deny Farah Williams, who was through on goal after an intentional through-ball - this time - from Jill Scott. 90 min: New Zealand's goalscorer, Gregorius, goes off for Hannah Wilkinson. 90 min+1: England have three minutes of stoppage time in which to defend their lead. Peep! Peep! Peep! And there's the final whistle. No scares for England in stoppage time, and they have a crucial victory. They made hard work of it, but never gave up and got their reward in the end. Post-match thoughts: Overall, that was fairly decent from England. For a while, it looked like they could play until next week and not score, but they kept plugging away, and a moment of brilliance brought them the equaliser. They got a bit lucky with the second goal, true, yet this was a deserved victory. England are second in the group, two points behind Japan, who they face on Tuesday. This win gives them a bit of breathing space. Thanks for all your emails. Bye.