New Zealand Fern’s defender Meikayla Moore scored three own goals leading the Kiwi women’s football team to lose 5-0 against the US in the SheBelieves Cup in California.
In total Moore scored three own goals with two in the first six minutes and a third goal in the 35th minute. All goals were scored off American crosses and left the Kiwi’s suffering a 5-0 loss against the home side.
According to the NZherald, Moore has equalled an international record for most own goals with Stan van den Buys having done the same for a Belgian football club in 1995. Football Ferns coach Jitka Klimkova could be seen hugging the defender as she was taken off just under the 40-minute mark with the coach saying that it was a bad day for her.
“Each player who has played [football] and it doesn’t matter what level, has great games and tough games and Mouse [Moore] had a tough day at the office,” she said post-match.
“Obviously she’s sad and disappointed, but she has us [and] we know who she is, we know what a great player she is, and we are going to support her as much as possible and we will be behind her,”
“I said to her we all know what a great player she is, and there is no doubt about it, she is a solid centre-back, defensively she’s tough to beat, great in the air, a great passer… that’s who she is and that’s what she need to keep in her mind, and that’s something I’m going [to] have to repeat many times to her.”
People have been weighing in on the match with one twitter user @MckinneyMorgan8 saying “If you think you’re having a bad day, just be happy that you’re not New Zealand’s Meikayla Moore”. While another offered words of support with @MajorTomNGS saying “I can only speak for myself, but I am incredibly proud that @MeikaylaMoore plays for the club I love. You’ll never walk alone, Mouse”.
Moore has yet to comment on the performance. When not playing for the Ferns, she plays defender for Liverpool FC.
