All Whites, Ferns, and other international teams
Christensen with a staggering bit of skill at the end, a bit Zidane like.
The Americans have just that bit more technique and skill wise and deserve the score but I hope our male age group coaches try and approach playing at these tournaments the way the womens U20 team has
A few thoughts on this game
We did well to regroup after a horror start and I was impressed with the fitness and resilience . The team also look like they have been coached and are playing to a plan. A couple of disappointing things though - as highlighted by the first goal most of the time when our players receive a pass they are facing where it comes from in a closed position and therefore unable to use the option of looking to open out and go the other way. Daisy Cleverley was a notable exception
Also quite often unless the ball is played to feet there is no anticipation of the path of the ball and we look a step behind it. Hopefully they take confidence from Ghana drawing with France. Good luck to them v France!
A few thoughts on this game
We did well to regroup after a horror start and I was impressed with the fitness and resilience . The team also look like they have been coached and are playing to a plan. A couple of disappointing things though - as highlighted by the first goal most of the time when our players receive a pass they are facing where it comes from in a closed position and therefore unable to use the option of looking to open out and go the other way. Daisy Cleverley was a notable exception
Also quite often unless the ball is played to feet there is no anticipation of the path of the ball and we look a step behind it. Hopefully they take confidence from Ghana drawing with France. Good luck to them v France!
Agree on the closed closed position for receiving passes.
I blame the coaches for the first goal, a basic technical error of not receiving on the back foot. Same player received on the front foot with the next 2 passes. So a basic fault I picked up after 10mins and I don't have any qualifications, just observations at my kids training 10+ years ago. I sometimes wonder if these coaches just run players through drills and game play, and not actually coach them. Would be interested to know what kind of feedback if any is given to the players post match.
NZ U-20 girls tonight as they take on France live on Sky Sport 4 and the reasonable time of 7pm. Preview here with a draw hopefully enough to see them through http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/quarter-final-berth-be...
Tough to beat the French and it will be nearly as tough to hang on for a draw. Will be hoping our 10% chance of a draw will happen, looking forward to the game.
Saved by the keeper again. She has made some quality saves this tournament.
We haven't had much of the ball have we? We are down 1 nil.
In the other game it is 1 all USA v Ghana
We haven't had much of the ball have we? We are down 1 nil.
In the other game it is 1 all USA v Ghana
A bit wasteful with the ball and no real attacking tactic apart from trying to send balls through for the strikers to chase. Its an ongoing problem that has its roots in girls football. I have watched most of these girls playing since they were 11 or 12. Marty Puketapu suffers from a problem where when she was younger all her coaches played long balls through for her to chase. She was quick, had a nice touch for her age and scored tons from this tactic. Consequently she never developed the ability to beat a defender with the ball at her feet with skill rather than pace. As players get older they find that international level defenders know how to deal with this. Jaqui Hand has the same problem. Good players but lacking the final skillset that makes them dangerous to play against at international level.
No I doubt we can get any sort of result here and while its easy to pick holes in the players and team one thing does stick out to me and that is that our womens teams have got to a point where for the most part they can compete and dont look too far off the pace. Wish the mens side of the game in NZ could have a good look at the womens game and learn something.
OFC u-19 Womens Championship in Auckland is almost at the midway point.
One group of six teams - winner makes next year's FIFA u-20 Women's World Cup in France.
A pall has been cast over the tournament by the death of the Fiji goalkeeper on the weekend. She pulled out of the squad on the eve of departing for Auckland and died yesterday after a very short illness:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-game/9...
RIP Francine Lockington
Golden Glove at the 2016 OFC Women's u-17 Championship.
NZ has won 12-0 vs. PNG and 9-1 vs. Fiji so far.
NZ vs. New Caledonia kicked off at 12.30 pm this afternoon at Ngahue Reserve Field 2
NZ vs. Samoa is 10 am Friday Ngahue Reserve.
NZ vs. Tonga 10 am Monday 24 July Ngahue Reserve.
Full tournament results and schedule:
Big Pete 65, Christchurch
Went to NZ vs New Caledonia today. 12-0. NZ obviously a class above but really the scoreline does New Caledonia a favour. New Zealand had probably 20 or so more opportunities that really should've been tucked away.
Emma Main and Deven Jackson look particularly promising.
Near the end of the second half the standard got pretty comedic. At one point a New Caledonia reserve prevented the ball going out for a corner (accidentally) which the refs chose to ignore.
Edit: for history's sake I think I may have got the names wrong here
Went to NZ vs New Caledonia today. 12-0. NZ obviously a class above but really the scoreline does New Caledonia a favour. New Zealand had probably 20 or so more opportunities that really should've been tucked away.
Emma Main and Deven Jackson look particularly promising.
Near the end of the second half the standard got pretty comedic. At one point a New Caledonia reserve prevented the ball going out for a corner (accidentally) which the refs chose to ignore.
Oi Oi Edgecumbe... lets have a clean sheet
Beth Weller from Hamilton who is in her second season at Charlton Athletic in the top English women's league might be worth a look for the NZ u-20's.
My own Charlton Athletic have a NZer in their women's team which is back at the top of English women's football. 19 year-old Beth Weller from Hamilton signed last season and has forced her way into the first team - probably one of NZ's best women players outside the Football Ferns. http://cafcwomen.com/players/bethany-weller-813.php
Big Pete 65, Christchurch
Believe she doesn't fit the age range.
This group of under-20s have to be born after 1 Jan 1998, she's born Nov 1997.
With all the focus having been on negative stuff around the Football Ferns management, I think we've all forgotten that we have a major international women's tournament with NZ participating starting in one month.
FIFA u-20 Women's World Cup France August 6 - 25
FIFA tournament homepage:
https://www.fifa.com/u20womensworldcup/index.html
Match schedule:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_FIFA_U-20_Women...
https://resources.fifa.com/image/upload/fu20wwc201...
NZ in a group with hosts France, the Netherlands and Ghana.
So, an awesome group.
I'm half Dutch and I like France so it will be great for me.
In fact I'm going to open some banter with my Dutch cousins on Facebook about it now !
Women's football is on a high in Holland since they won the Women's Euros last year and the men's team crash-dived in World Cup qualifying (men's club football was so mediocre that Ajax was knocked out in the qualifying round for the Europa League).
This tournament will be great especially following on if France win the World Cup in Russia.
The French FA have taken the unusual step of holding the entire tournament in one region, Brittany.
No doubt to boost women's football in a region that is sometimes considered a bit behind the rest of France; and the seaside venues are picturesque.
Stadia used are all of a capacity of only 2000 - 9500
NZ play the Netherlands on the opening day of the tournament August 6 NZT as the curtain-raiser to France vs Ghana at Vannes, the biggest stadium used for the tournament (9500) in the seaside town of 56,000 100 km from Nantes.
The Breton name for Vannes is Gwened which sounds Welsh and is in fact closely related (common Celtic language roots; Breton is most closely related to Cornish).
Breton is the regional language of Brittany and the only regional language of France which has survived to any extent since the years of nationalism since Napoleon (more than 200,000 speak it today, down from one million in 1950).
Brittany was settled by Celts from Britain about 1300 years ago so they have ancient British heritage and are not related to the ancient Gauls, the original Celtic people of France.
NZ's second game is also at Vannes against France on August 9
Our final group game is August 13 vs. Ghana at Concarneau, a fishing port of 20,000.
(The Breton name is "Konk-Kerne" meaning "Bay of Cornwall" - it was founded by Cornish settlers 1300 years ago)
Australia failed to qualify, so we're the only team from Down Under.
Big Pete 65, Christchurch
NZ Football haven't publically announced the NZ squad yet.
The following attended the camp held earlier this year:
Big Pete 65, Christchurch
Here is the team for the U-20 World Cup. All games will be live on Sky http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/65363
New Zealand squad for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in France
Elizabeth Anton (Western Springs AFC)
Hannah Blake (Three Kings United FC)
Claudia Bunge (Glenfield Rovers AFC)
Michaela Foster (Hamilton Wanderers AFC)
Una Foyle (Coastal Spirit FC)
Jacqui Hand (Eastern Suburbs AFC)
Tiana Hill (Claudelands Rovers)
Grace Jale (Eastern Suburbs AFC)
Maggie Jenkins (Glenfield Rovers AFC)
Rebecca Lake (Coastal Spirit FC)
Anna Leat (East Coast Bays AFC)
Nicole Mettam (Eastern Suburbs AFC)
Aneka Mittendorff (Forrest Hill Milford United AFC)
Rose Morton (Western Springs AFC)
Sarah Morton (Western Springs AFC)
Nadia Olla (Western Springs AFC)
Gabi Rennie (Waimakariri United AFC)
Paige Satchell (Three Kings United FC)
Malia Steinmetz (Forrest Hill Milford United AFC) ©
Dayna Stevens (Glenfield Rovers AFC)
Samantha Tawharu (Forrest Hill Milford United AFC)
It looks like the side have made their final preparations in terms of matchtime with a tight 1-0 loss in which we dominated the Mexicans according to NZ Football. A bit disappointing that we managed 12 shots and couldnt score while Mexico only had 3 but scored. A big letdown in the national sides against stronger opponents is that we are poor in front of goal recently. Hopefully Turnbull can turn that around come the big kickoff in France. But sounds like he is delighted with the result, mind you we were playing the CONCACAF champions who beat the USA in the final.
It looks like the side have made their final preparations in terms of matchtime with a tight 1-0 loss in which we dominated the Mexicans according to NZ Football. A bit disappointing that we managed 12 shots and couldnt score while Mexico only had 3 but scored. A big letdown in the national sides against stronger opponents is that we are poor in front of goal recently. Hopefully Turnbull can turn that around come the big kickoff in France. But sounds like he is delighted with the result, mind you we were playing the CONCACAF champions who beat the USA in the final.
are they showing the tournament on sky?
If you look back just a few posts you will see poster images that would suggest NZ games at least.
Doubt they have the whole tournament; not like Sky to promote football.
You'd be wrong there. Looks like they've got every game, if not live, then at least delayed. First games are Sunday night/Monday morning
Went down 2-1 to the Dutch in the opening game this morning, conceded a late winner.
France beat Ghana 4-1 in the other game in the group.
Highlights including a great goal from Hannah Blake
did we do any bus parking?
No but we had the right back taking long throws from all over the park.
It did result in a well taken goal - The only NZ highlight of the match
For a first time appearance at women's WC age group competition the Dutch impressed & were far superior individually with their touches, turns and as a team with their passing. 2-1 really flattered NZ.
The defending for the Dutch second goal wasn't pretty. All the numbers there, and still couldn't get within two yards of any of the Dutch players who had key touches leading to the goal.
did we do any bus parking?
No one had a pro bus drivers licence
Oi Oi Edgecumbe... lets have a clean sheet
A big result to draw with the hosts. It’ll take a win against Ghana and a good result in Netherlands v France game. At moment Netherlands are on 6 points, France on 4 and us on 1. We need to win and Netherlands to beat France and even then it could come down to goal difference, we are on -1 and France is on +3
That was a very hard working kiwi team, pressed high, didnt sit back and despite the possession stats gave as good as they got.
I know it's a slight milestone, but am I the only one annoyed about how much the 0-0 draw is praised? I saw some disappointed faces from the players on TV and some seemed relieved. Are we ever going to hate not winning for our national football teams or are we forever the product of our Oceania environment?
I know it's a slight milestone, but am I the only one annoyed about how much the 0-0 draw is praised? I saw some disappointed faces from the players on TV and some seemed relieved. Are we ever going to hate not winning for our national football teams or are we forever the product of our Oceania environment?
No, you're not the only one
Its a good result, especially given the stats BUT it's not the Huge, Massive or Fantastic result that many are touting it as
https://thejourneyfan.blogspot.co.nz/
New Zealand Football Media Association Website of the year 2015 & 2016
I know it's a slight milestone, but am I the only one annoyed about how much the 0-0 draw is praised? I saw some disappointed faces from the players on TV and some seemed relieved. Are we ever going to hate not winning for our national football teams or are we forever the product of our Oceania environment?
Having watched the game I would say its a very good result.
I think whats important is context and where we have come from. 15 years ago this sort of performance was simply not possible. We had more shots on target than the French and while they dominated possession we did push them at times. The other thing thats important is the quality of our players relative to 15 years ago. There has been a clear overall improvement. Still not the quality we are hoping for but there is a clear trend up.
We are going to be a product of our Oceania environment until such a time as we are capable of giving our coaches access to FIFA coaching courses etc.
We were playing France, the hosts and in the womens game one fo the big movers in recent years, at times we caused them problems.
There is a time and place for being annoyed at praising a 0-0 draw, from the game I watched this isnt one of them,.
I know it's a slight milestone, but am I the only one annoyed about how much the 0-0 draw is praised? I saw some disappointed faces from the players on TV and some seemed relieved. Are we ever going to hate not winning for our national football teams or are we forever the product of our Oceania environment?
No, you're not the only one
Its a good result, especially given the stats BUT it's not the Huge, Massive or Fantastic result that many are touting it as
Just because we have a lot of improvement to go doesn't mean we shouldn't stop and recognise the successes along the way.
Valley FC til I die?
