Victoria Esson tips the ball around the post Photo: PHOTOSPORT
A penalty save from keeper Victoria Esson helped the Football Ferns to a 1-all draw with South Korea in Christchurch last night.
The New Zealand skipper conceded the penalty as she brought down a Korean player late in the game, but then tipped away the penalty attempt from Son Hwa-yeon.
Liv Chance opened the scoring for the homeside as she slotted home a deflection from the Korean keeper in the 13th minute.
The Ferns maintained their lead into halftime, but conceded early in the second half, when the Koreans scored from a corner.
Head coach Jitka Klimkova made two changes from the side hat lost 1-0 in the opening game with Grace Jale and Gabi Rennie coming into the starting lineup.
The game's most dramatic moment came in the 84th minute.
Esson rushed to meet the ball and bundled Lee Geum-min over in the process, with referee Kate Jacewicz not hesitating for a second as she immediately blew for a penalty.
Gabi Rennie attempts a shot on goal Photo: PHOTOSPORT
But roared on by her hometown crowd, Esson guessed correctly and dived to her right to deny Hwa-yeon, much to the delight of her teammates, who rushed to celebrate with her, and her hometown crowd.
Korea is ranked 17th in the world and New Zealand 22.
The Ferns next games are in January against the United States in Wellington and Auckland.