Aussie have named their squad. A GK at a US College, otherwise completely domestically based squad. Mostly from the ALW, but some also from NPL leagues or a Future Matildas program (like FFDP I guess)
5 based in Europe and only 1 at a US College - that route now less popular with the better more serious football players, ie those looking to make a career out of football??
Only 3 NZ domestically based outside the Nix
The squad to compete at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in September has been confirmed 🇳🇿🏆
Tourney a useful barometer of the possible future for the Ferns. Japan you imagine will be very tough, but other 2 games you'd hope NZ have a chance.
Hopefully Clegg is fit & healthy. Training daily in a high quality NWSL environment she could be a real stand out in Colombia.
Playing 2 games in Bogota should help. It has a temperate cool & wet climate not dissimilar to NZ. Cali will be more hot & sticky, which likely Ghana won't mind.
Aotearoa New Zealand have been drawn in Group E at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2024 alongside Austria, Ghana and Japan. The team will kick off against Japan on 3 September (NZT), before facing Austria on 6 September (NZT) and Ghana on 9 September (NZT).
MATCH DETAILS FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2024 – Group E Fixtures:
Japan vs New Zealand 2 September 2024 [local] / 3 September 2024 [NZT] KO 8pm [local] / 1pm [NZT] Estadio El Techo, Bogotá, Colombia
Austria vs New Zealand 5 September 2024 [local] / 6 September 2024 [NZT] KO 8pm [local] / 1pm [NZT] Estadio El Techo, Bogotá, Colombia
New Zealand vs Ghana 8 September 2024 [local] / 9 September 2024 [NZT] KO 6pm [local] / 11am [NZT] Estadio Pascual Guerrero, Cali, Colombia
First game against Japan next Tuesday our time. You'd think they would likely have a friendly lined up in Bogota this weekend, against someone.
Maybe Australia again, who are also in Bogota. Or they play Japan, and we play the hosts (Colombia is Oz's first pool game), and them we share some intel with our Trans Tasman friends.
WATCH | U-20 Head Coach Leon Birnie and players preview their upcoming FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup campaign kicking off in Colombia next week 🇨🇴🏆https://t.co/3r22Oe0rk6
Not much coming out from NZF about this team. Only one post I've seen this week. World Cup kicking off this weekend. Surely they had a pre tournament friendly game at least.
Maybe they are still stuck in traffic between the Airport and where they are staying. It can be awful to get around Bogota. 8M folk stuck in a narrow valley.
Fiji might be better prepared than us, after a week training & playing in Costa Rica. Need all the help they can get with Brazil first up! Gulp
At least Medellin is a lot warmer & sunnier than cool, wet Bogota. So that will suit them
The Digicel Fiji Young Kulas gained valuable experience in a 2-0 defeat to Costa Rica, as part of their World Cup prep. Despite the result, the team is learning & adapting ahead of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup. Next up: a match against Morocco, who also lost 2-0 to Costa Rica. pic.twitter.com/AL3DlLHueX
— Fiji Football Association (@FijiFootball_) August 24, 2024
Vinaka for the welcome Medellin! The Digicel Fiji Young Kulas have arrived in Colombia, greeted with vibrant pomp and fanfare! The team is feeling the love as they prepare for their FIFA U20 Women's World Cup opener against Brazil in four days. Stay tuned for updates. pic.twitter.com/4QE5azQhzv
— Fiji Football Association (@FijiFootball_) August 28, 2024
Gut feel this will be the team's toughest pool against Japan. So don't get completely downcast if we are outclassed. Without a doubt their players on average will be better technically. They just have a much much bigger talent pool to pick from.
But as their senior team showed at the WWC you can have all the ball, look a million dollars, and still lose. And this NZ U20 team does have a lot of pros either in Europe or with the Nix, plus Clegg in the NWSL.
If the allocated jersey numbers are an indication of the probable starting XI I'd be a little concerned that some players are playing out of position and maybe defensively exposed.
If the allocated jersey numbers are an indication of the probable starting XI I'd be a little concerned that some players are playing out of position and maybe defensively exposed.
Except the allocation of jersey numbers has never been about starting spots or playing positions in the Aleague. The only number you wont see playing in the outfield in #1. The rest are just squad numbers and have no bearing on anything.
Bleak 4-0 HT scoreline, but man from just a football perspective the Japanese are a delight to watch. Speed, precision one touch passing, classes above our girls. Mirror image of their senior womens team.
Can see why they won this tourney in 2018, and were runners up last time in 2022.
See they thrashed Australia 5-1 in the AFC U20 qualifiers in March. Though lost to North Korea 2-1 in the final. North Koreans spanked Argentina today, so these 2 AFC teams already both look tourney contenders.
FA & NZF should send some coaches over to Japan to study what they are doing in the female space to make them so good. Clearly producing players levels above the ALW's best young talent.
Bleak 4-0 HT scoreline, but man from just a football perspective the Japanese are a delight to watch. Speed, precision one touch passing, classes above our girls. Mirror image of their senior womens team.
Can see why they won this tourney in 2018, and were runners up last time in 2022.
See they thrashed Australia 5-1 back in the AFC U20 qualifiers in March. Though lost to North Korea 2-1 in the final. North Koreans spanked Argentina today, so these 2 AFC teams already both look on fire.
They are definately much better prepared than us. Michihisa Kano: Our U-20 women's national team began preparing for this back in March 2023. Eight training camps later, including the Asian qualifiers, I think we’re ready for the upcoming World Cup.
Bleak 4-0 HT scoreline, but man from just a football perspective the Japanese are a delight to watch. Speed, precision one touch passing, classes above our girls. Mirror image of their senior womens team.
Can see why they won this tourney in 2018, and were runners up last time in 2022.
See they thrashed Australia 5-1 back in the AFC U20 qualifiers in March. Though lost to North Korea 2-1 in the final. North Koreans spanked Argentina today, so these 2 AFC teams already both look on fire.
They are definately much better prepared than us. Michihisa Kano: Our U-20 women's national team began preparing for this back in March 2023. Eight training camps later, including the Asian qualifiers, I think we’re ready for the upcoming World Cup.
For sure that will be a factor, especially if all their players are based in Japan, so you always have the full squad on hand to train together. NZ has 6-7 girls based in the US & Europe, and I'm guessing most of them are starting today, ie the better players. Not so easy to get together for a camp.
But the issue is bigger than that. The individual skills of their girls, is levels above. What are they doing in their systems to produce a continuous conveyor belt of young technical talent like they are? Their record at this tourney is impressive, and the way the play is enjoyable to watch. It's not just us. They are easier better than Aussie as well, and I suspect will win this group comfortably.
Bleak 4-0 HT scoreline, but man from just a football perspective the Japanese are a delight to watch. Speed, precision one touch passing, classes above our girls. Mirror image of their senior womens team.
Can see why they won this tourney in 2018, and were runners up last time in 2022.
See they thrashed Australia 5-1 back in the AFC U20 qualifiers in March. Though lost to North Korea 2-1 in the final. North Koreans spanked Argentina today, so these 2 AFC teams already both look on fire.
They are definately much better prepared than us. Michihisa Kano: Our U-20 women's national team began preparing for this back in March 2023. Eight training camps later, including the Asian qualifiers, I think we’re ready for the upcoming World Cup.
For sure that will be a factor, especially if all their players are based in Japan, so you always have the full squad on hand to train together. NZ has 6-7 girls based in the US & Europe, and I'm guessing most of them are starting today, ie the better players. Not so easy to get together for a camp.
But the issue is bigger than that. The individual skills of their girls, is levels above. What are they doing in their systems to produce a continuous conveyor belt of young technical talent like they are? Their record at this tourney is impressive, and the way the play is enjoyable to watch. It's not just us. They are easier better than Aussie as well, and I suspect will win this group comfortably.
A big part is probably that we've had very little or no domestic professional academy system setup in NZ until very recently. Talent ID, development, coaching etc all probably starts from a very young age in Japan - arguably our girls (and those in Australia) catch up eventually but for the younger girls we're still catching up from a lag of a few years. I wouldn't be surprised to see the gap close a bit after the Nix and Auckland's academy have been going for a few more years.
I wonder if any of the North Korean team that thrashed Argetina 6-2 play in Japan? Would be interesting to know. Bit of Nth Korean community in Nippon, and certainly been some Korea DPR mens national team players who were brought up, and play across the Sea of Japan.
Regardless I bet the Koreans watch closely how the Japanese have structured their systems in the female game, and maybe also vice versa (sans the Nth Korean brainwashing!). Whatever it seems to be working for both.
Bleak 4-0 HT scoreline, but man from just a football perspective the Japanese are a delight to watch. Speed, precision one touch passing, classes above our girls. Mirror image of their senior womens team.
Can see why they won this tourney in 2018, and were runners up last time in 2022.
See they thrashed Australia 5-1 back in the AFC U20 qualifiers in March. Though lost to North Korea 2-1 in the final. North Koreans spanked Argentina today, so these 2 AFC teams already both look on fire.
They are definately much better prepared than us. Michihisa Kano: Our U-20 women's national team began preparing for this back in March 2023. Eight training camps later, including the Asian qualifiers, I think we’re ready for the upcoming World Cup.
For sure that will be a factor, especially if all their players are based in Japan, so you always have the full squad on hand to train together. NZ has 6-7 girls based in the US & Europe, and I'm guessing most of them are starting today, ie the better players. Not so easy to get together for a camp.
But the issue is bigger than that. The individual skills of their girls, is levels above. What are they doing in their systems to produce a continuous conveyor belt of young technical talent like they are? Their record at this tourney is impressive, and the way the play is enjoyable to watch. It's not just us. They are easier better than Aussie as well, and I suspect will win this group comfortably.
A big part is probably that we've had very little or no domestic professional academy system setup in NZ until very recently. Talent ID, development, coaching etc all probably starts from a very young age in Japan - arguably our girls (and those in Australia) catch up eventually but for the younger girls we're still catching up from a lag of a few years. I wouldn't be surprised to see the gap close a bit after the Nix and Auckland's academy have been going for a few more years.
Yeah I remember our boys U17s or U20s?? went on tour to Japan last year, and lost to a local Niigata side. Maybe it's just that they are getting their kids into top class coaching at younger ages, whilst we take a gentler approach of it's more the fun aspect until kids get older.
Plus also it's a country of 125M so a much bigger talent pool. Whichever the touches, movement, speed etc is all different level.
Yipe more girls coming into Weenix and then AFC Academies will help. We have already seen Fraser, Taylor, Wisnewski, Clegg move through the Nix to better leagues. And Nix ALW team is only 3 seasons old. Still no harm in some NZF staffers doing a little tour of Japan for a look. Chiefy obviously left there impressed and a fan.
Maybe rather than sending players out to NPL clubs or Auckland United every year when the short ALW season finishes, the Nix could pair up with a Japanese club and send 6 or so players there each NZ winter for a few months for their development. You sense it would properly challenge them and be eye opening
If the allocated jersey numbers are an indication of the probable starting XI I'd be a little concerned that some players are playing out of position and maybe defensively exposed.
Except the allocation of jersey numbers has never been about starting spots or playing positions in the Aleague. The only number you wont see playing in the outfield in #1. The rest are just squad numbers and have no bearing on anything.
This isn't the A-league though.
Numbers 2-11 started, only the GK not from 1-11.
2 converted midfielders, #3,#4 playing at Center Back.
The #6 naturally more an advanced midfielder rather than what you expect your 6 to be.
That lineup has the skills if they have the ball, but that isn't a team that is going to naturally defend and win the ball.
Sounds like they had a pre tourney friendly in Colombia against Canada.
Agree with Birnie judge the side how they go against Austria and Ghana. Teams they should be capable of getting a result against. Japan just a different class, and trying to bridge that gap is a bigger picture question more for NZF, than this group.
It was an utterly dominant performance from the 2018 winners and 2022 runners up, who over the 90 minutes had a total of 30 shots on goal to New Zealand’s two, and completed 552 passes to New Zealand’s 189.
Maya Hijikata opened the scoring in the 16th minute, and from that point on it was essentially one-way traffic.
“We’re quite disappointed,” said New Zealand captain Manaia Elliott after the match.
“Credit to Japan, they outclassed us today,”
“We’ll have to bounce back from there.”
New Zealand head coach Leon Birnie was similarly disappointed.
“Japan have medalled in the last three Under-20 World Cups and that looks like an impressive Japanese side. Even when we got players where we needed to have them, they were still able to play through us. We just got completely outplayed on the park.
“Don’t define this group or judge this group off that performance. We’ve had three games coming in – two against Australia and one against Canada – and three good performances there, and tonight we were off the pace.”
He backed his players to bounce back for the games against Austria and Ghana.
“We were always targetting the next two games, so for us now we have to puck the girls up, regroup and this will show our true character. If the girls can move on from this, stay connected and stay together then I think you’ll see a much better performance.”
At least that's hopefully the hardest match out of the way!
Japan were very good, shows how much further along they are in developing players over there. I think it also shows how well they are coached. Would be nice to see us doing as many training camps and friendlies prior to a tournament like this too
Hopefully we can put in a better effort against our next opponents
FA & NZF should send some coaches over to Japan to study what they are doing in the female space to make them so good. Clearly producing players levels above the ALW's best young talent.
They did. That’s where the whole of football plan came from.
Along with a very emphatic 7-0 loss to tournament contenders Japan, the NZ U20s had Wellington Phoenix scholarship signing Ella McCann on the bench with crutches and a knee brace... not a happy sight 😬 pic.twitter.com/IiaVrqRmtO
