The New Zealand women’s football team, led by coach Jitka Klimkova, is determined to break their 32-year-long wait for a victory in the Women’s World Cup. The team is set to host the tournament alongside Australia and is keen on avoiding any embarrassment on home turf.
The tournament will commence with a challenging match against Norway at Eden Park in Auckland on July 20. Subsequent matches will be against Switzerland and the Philippines. To advance to the knockout rounds, New Zealand must rank among the top two teams from the eight groups, a feat that requires them to defy historical records and recent form.
The Football Ferns, as the New Zealand team is known, have participated in five Women’s World Cups since the inaugural tournament in 1991. However, they have yet to secure a win in 15 games. Their recent performance has been less than stellar, including heavy home defeats to the reigning World Cup champions, the United States.
Klimkova, a former Czech Republic defender, emphasized the need for her team to show grit both defensively and offensively. She acknowledged the team’s struggle to score goals during a winless 10-match streak last year, where they managed only two goals. However, she remains optimistic about their progress in training and their determination to make their nation proud.
Despite Norway’s reputation as former world and European champions, Klimkova believes her team has nothing to fear. She sees the opportunity to steal points from Norway in the first game as crucial to their campaign.
While rugby and cricket traditionally dominate New Zealand’s sports scene, Klimkova is confident that Kiwis will rally behind their women’s football team once the tournament begins. She views the opportunity to play a World Cup at home as a unique and special moment that will motivate the team to fight for each other and for New Zealand.
