They may have lost 4-0 but there was enthusiasm as Football Ferns coach Jitka Klimkova and winger Olivia Chance arrived to their seats for the post-match press-conference.
With a severely inexperienced squad that only had four players with more than 50 caps, Klimkova was took solace in how her side had competed against world champions USA.
"Overall knowing that we had two players who had their first cap, that's incredible, we had so many players who we hadn't seen for a while and they kept us in the game," said the Football Ferns coach.
"If you look at how many challenges we had and how this team actually performed, it makes me very proud."
A dogged opening 45 minutes from the New Zealanders frustrated the Americans, their defensive graft, the woodwork and some superb goalkeeping from Erin Nayler keeping the game scoreless at the break.
Of particular note was the tactical discipline shown by New Zealand's midfield in the first half.
The flatpack four-woman middle made up of Betsy Hassett, Daisy Cleverley, Chance and Grace Jale chased every loose ball and untidy touch from the Americans, disrupting their passing channels to danger players Rose Lavelle and Alex Morgan.
At nil-all, the Ferns admit they felt they had a chance to snare a result.
"I think if we were able to maintain what we had done in the first half and maybe catch them on the counter or just have a little bit better possession higher up the field then I think we could of," said winger Chance.
"I really think we can build from this game, it's about identifying players like Rose Lavelle that have dropped into the pocket as the game went on and we just needed to be a little quicker in step, like front foot defending where we were closer to her."
Klimkova says the team lost their shape in the first 20 minutes of the second half, ultimately costing them the game.
"That's when we started dropping and started to defend with our back foot and that was the difference that this team is going to take and want to improve for the next game," says Klimkova.
"We had a tough 20 minutes and that was our biggest lesson for the next one."
That next game against the USA is on Saturday at Eden Park.
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