With the 2019 Women’s World Cup less than a month out, we here at For The Win wanted to preview every team that will feature in this tournament. We’ve already looked at the U.S. Women’s National team and a host of other squads.
Let’s continue now with Team New Zealand.
New Zealand Group E schedule
Tuesday, June 11, 9 a.m. ET vs. Netherlands
Saturday, June 15, 3 p.m. ET vs. Canada
Thursday, June 20, Noon ET vs. Cameroon
Key players
Football Ferns head coach Tom Sermanni (who coached the USWNT previously) has selected an experienced squad for this World Cup, with six players named who all have over 100 caps for their country. Here are some of the key players who NZ will need to advance out of the group stage:
Abby Erceg
Erceg is New Zealand’s star. A versatile central defender, Erceg is coming off a monstrous 2018 NWSL season which saw her win the league title with the Courage, with her side not giving up a goal in either playoff game. She was also named the 2018 NWSL Defender of the Year, as well as a member of the 2018 NWSL Best XI.
Abby Erceg (right) competes against USWNT. Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images
She also has a complicated history with the New Zealand national team. Erceg retired from the national team in 2017 “due to the unfortunate and unfavourable circumstances within the organisation that is NZF.” She came out of retirement in 2018, then retired from international play again. She has only recently come back around to playing for the squad, and was named to the 23-woman roster ahead of the World Cup.
Katie Bowen
Bowen is a versatile player who can play outside defense or on the wing. Just 25, Bowen is already playing in her third World Cup, as she made her debut at just 17 years old in the 2011 tournament. She’s since racked up 59 appearances and three goals for her country.
Ali Riley
Riley has been the captain of New Zealand since 2017. The Chelsea F.C. Women player has played all over the field, and has been deployed at everything from wingback (where she usually plays for her club) to a attacking left winger (where she has recently featured for NZ).
Ali Riley. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
Riley actually grew up in Los Angeles, and attended Stanford University, where she won a national title. Her father is from New Zealand, however, and she first represented NZ at the U-23 level before officially joining the senior team in 2007.
Recent World Cup history
The New Zealand women have qualified for four consecutive World Cups … and yet still haven’t won a game in the tournament. (The men’s side has never won a game, either.)
While this team is a bit stronger and more experienced than in years past, they do still lack depth and struggle to compete at key positions. This was on display in their 5-0 tune up loss to the USWNT earlier this month. That being said, the 19-ranked Football Ferns do have a group they can expect to compete in, and a very winnable game against Cameroon.
What experts are saying about New Zealand
New Zealand media is coming in with realistic expectations for the group, and this side seems most set on trying to get their first win at a World Cup and, perhaps, advance out of the group stage.
“Bit demoralising in the end with a 5-0 defeat against a ruthless USA team,” wrote NZ outlet The Niche Caste on Twitter after the side’s loss to the USWNT in the friendly. “Not sure that was the best matchup for the Fernies at this moment If we play a team as good as this in the World Cup it’ll mean we already overachieved and made it out of the group.”
The team’s strength is obviously in defense, and an issue that Sermanni will face is that three of his best players are all defenders. He tried left back Anna Green against the USWNT, and she looked completely overwhelmed by the moment. The temptation will be to slide Riley back there, and batten down the hatches with a back four that features Erceg, Riley and Bowen, and try to sneak a goal whenever possible.
RJ Allen remarked on Twitter that “Erceg and Riley are a really nice leadership pairing,” and many noted that the NZ defense was better than the 5-0 scoreline showed. They could cause problems for teams and, if they can nick a goal off the counter, it wouldn’t surprise me if they won a game or two and advanced out of the group stage.
How to be a fan
To be blunt, the Football Ferns haven’t gotten the support from their federation or country’s fans like they deserve. So if you have an affinity for New Zealand, lend them your support. They’ve got gorgeous jerseys, some fun players, and it’ll be a blast when they win their country’s first World Cup match. Something tells me it’s happening.
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