Two newbies for Football Ferns clashes with Panama
A couple of injuries and a couple of new players selected for the Football Ferns squad for games away next month.
Micheala Foster is unavailable, as is Grace Wisnewski for the two games against Panama both with ACL injuries, both for the second time in their careers.
LATEST HEADLINES:
Head coach Michae Mayne has called up two new players for the matches against Panama: New Zealand under-20 captain Daisy Brazendale who is unattached to a club at present and European-based attacking midfielder Helena Errington (FH Hafnarfjörður, Iceland).
“As we get closer to the FIFA Women’s World Cup next year, we want to ensure we have looked at all of the available options to us so it's great to have two players in Daisy and Helena who have come through our system, have been really active in weeks leading into this tour, and doing really well in their respective environments, get the call up to the senior team for the first time,” said Mayne.
“Having spoken to them both about the opportunity to join the team at a critical time in our campaign, it was a pleasure to see how much it meant to them both and how they want to come in and add to the group.
“These are important games for us as we lead into the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 draw in December.
“The squad selection for these two matches come at a time where opportunities are there for players to be revisited due to timing of seasons and some players not quite ready for an international window right now.
“Exposing the squad to the environment and playing in South America will again be great to see how the players have prepared to perform in the climate we will face in Brazil.
“After a three-month break in the FIFA calendar, which has allowed us to review and identify our priorities leading into the tournament, matches will come thick and fast from this point on, so we need to make sure we shift the focus towards the priorities that will allow us to be best prepared for the step up in challenge in Brazil.
“We will go into the next four available windows, ahead of naming our squad for Brazil in May, clear as a group on the direction we will go and how we will be ready to tackle the challenge at the tournament connected, clear, and prepared to execute as a team.”
Movement in the squad has Indiah-Paige Riley, Charlotte Lancaster, Meikayla Moore, Grace Neville and Maddie Iro recalled since the June window while Manaia Elliott, Deven Jackson, Brooke Neary and Emma Pijnenburg are not selected.
Teenage Phoenix star Pia Vlok was not selected as she is given time to recover from the U20 World Cup. .
The matches on October 11 and 14 in Panama City will be the Football Ferns’ first against 56th-ranked Panama.
Football Ferns v Panama
Squad
Goalkeepers: Victoria Esson, Maddie Iro, Alina Santos
Defenders: Liz Anton, Mackenzie Barry, Claudia Bunge, Ally Green, Meikayla Moore, Grace Neville, Rebekah Stott, Kate Taylor
Midfielders: Daisy Brazendale, Helena Errington, Maya Hahn, Grace Jale, Katie Kitching, Charlotte Lancaster, Malia Steinmetz, Indiah-Paige Riley
Forwards: Hannah Blake, Milly Clegg, Jacqui Hand, Maggie Jenkins, Gabi Rennie
Fixtures
Sunday, October 11— 10am NZT
Estadio Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez, Panama City
Wednesday, October 14— 1.30pm NZT
Estadio Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez, Panama City
