After the left back’s 64th-minute
free-kick sneaked into the bottom left-hand corner, Houghton sprinted
off on a dizzying, bewildered run towards to the halfway line, where her
relieved team-mates finally caught up.
Match-winner: Steph Houghton celebrates scoring the winner with GB team-mate Ifeoma Dieke
This, after all, was sporting
history being made: the first goal scored by the first British women’s
Olympic football team on the first day of a home Games. It doesn’t
really get any sweeter than that.
‘I was really, really pleased but I didn’t know what to do,’ said Houghton. ‘I was just glad to celebrate with my team.
‘I
think I was trying to head towards the bench but then everybody was a
bit tired so I had to slow down. I’ve already had a bit of banter off
the girls for running away too fast.
‘It’s definitely the highlight of my career, without a shadow of doubt.’
This
match certainly needed Houghton’s injection of skill and energy. Great
Britain were much better than in last Friday’s uninspiring 0-0 draw
against Sweden but again started poorly; slightly overawed, perhaps, by
the circumstances and certainly stunned by the oppressive heat.
Gaetane
Thiney actually scored the first goal of London 2012 in France’s 4-2
defeat by the USA, in a match that kicked off an hour later than
Britain’s Group E game against New Zealand.
Back of the net: New Zealand goalkeeper Jenny Bindon (centre) fails to stop Stephanie Houghton's free-kick
The attendance for GB’s game — 24,549 at
the Millennium Stadium — was also well down on the estimate of 40,000
suggested before kick-off; a figure head coach Hope Powell had said she
would be ‘disappointed’ not to reach.
The sections of seating behind
both goals were completely empty and the fixture did not, as had been
expected, break the record for an international women’s match in the UK.
That will come, however, on July 31, in Britain’s final group game
against Brazil at Wembley.
These athletes, remember, are used to
playing in front of a few hundred friends and family, not having
thousands of strangers in red, white and blue cheering them on. This is
still considerable progress, albeit more of a tiptoe than the brave
strides some may have wanted. As Powell pointed out, it was still
impossible to ‘ignore the occasion’ of this game after Anita Asante
kicked off a new era for Britain’s female footballers when she slipped
the ball to Kelly Smith at 4pm yesterday.
‘They’re history-makers,’
said Powell. ‘That will never change. They’re part of the first GB
women’s team ever. I said to the girls it’s an opportunity to showcase
their talent. Embrace it.
Heads you lose: Stephanie Houghton (top left) fights for the ball with New Zealand's defence
‘Steph is the first female footballer to
score for Team GB. She’s made history. She was in shock and didn’t know
what to do. Steph has been really unlucky in the past. She suffered
major injuries before the World Cup in 2007 and the Euros in 2009. She
has worked really hard to get back into condition and is now one of the
fittest players.
‘Maybe the occasion got to us, but the most important thing is we scored a goal and managed to win.’
Britain,
however, will need to improve quickly if they are to be considered
serious medal contenders. New Zealand, ranked 23rd in the world, offered
little beyond athleticism and strength and had no response when the
hosts clicked after an anxious first 20 minutes.
Great Britain, in
their all-white second strip with faded grey detail and with nine
English players in the starting line-up, looked more like an England XI.
The BOA even put out a press release heralding ‘England women on their
way’.
It was also an English player, Houghton, who ignited this match
when she curled a right-foot free-kick inches wide midway through the
first half. Britain offered plenty of width against New Zealand’s
midfield three but little product.
Over the bar: Amber Hearn of New Zealand shoots at goal at the Millennium Stadium
Marauding right back Alex Scott,
who worked tirelessly on the overlap, saw two shots whistle wide and
Eniola Aluko put Kim Little through in first-half stoppage time, only
for the Scotland striker to try and find Karen Carney rather than
shooting herself.
Britain’s star striker Kelly Smith was too often
forced to receive the ball with her back to goal, but made more impact
in a No 10 role after Ellen White replaced Little at half-time. Smith
played a sensational through-ball to her Arsenal team-mate after 62
minutes, but White dallied and Ali Riley cleared.
Alex Scott then
drew the foul from which Houghton scored Britain’s historic goal.
Asante ran over the ball and the defender stroked it past Jenny Bindon.
Even
then Britain nearly blew it, as a mix-up between Alex Scott and Dieke
allowed Sarah Gregorius a clear run at goal. The striker, however,
directed a right-foot shot straight into the hands of goalkeeper Karen
Bardsley.
This piece of British sporting history just about merited its happy ending.
Hot ticket: Fans enjoy the Olympic atmosphere at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff
No way past? Jill Scott (left) attempts to send in a cross past New Zealand's Katie Hoyle
In the stands: FIFA president Sepp Blatter was in town watching the big Olympic kick-off
Go GB! Fans arrive before the Group E match at the Millennium Stadium on Wednesday
