The Football Ferns will head back to the drawing board after failing to deliver on their promise to beat Portugal this evening with another blowout loss where they couldn't find the back of the net.
The Ferns went down 5-0 in Hamilton tonight in one of their most disappointing results in recent years, especially given the confidence they had coming into the contest and the talent they had available for it.
Instead, it was World No.22 Portugal - who still have to qualify for the World Cup at next week's playoffs being hosted here - making a statement as they made Jitka Klimkova's side pay.
Jessica Silva opened the scoring in the 17th minute after linking up with a cross into the box before a rash challenge from Kate Taylor saw Portugal captain Dolores Silva convert a penalty into a goal minutes before halftime.
That wasn't to say the 24th-ranked Football Ferns didn't have their moments but as they have in the past they couldn't make the moments count like their opponents could and Portugal made them pay for it more in the second half.
Two goals in six minutes for Ana Capeta effectively sealed the match before Tatiana Pinto delivered the final blow in the 79th minute.
New Zealand doesn't have long to lick their wounds; two games against Argentina - ranked 29th in the world - await them next week on Monday and Thursday.
After that, there won't be room for promises or practice because the World Cup will be here and so too will the world's best.
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