Football Ferns primed for Brazil

The Football Ferns head into their second pool match at the 2012 Olympics, against Brazil at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, aiming to keep their fate in their own hands.

Amber Hearn watches a shot fly over the GB goal in match one. Getty images.

July 27, 2012

CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM – The Football Ferns head into their second pool match at the 2012 Olympics, against Brazil at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, aiming to keep their fate in their own hands.

Eight teams will progress from the 12 team group stage meaning teams need to finish in the top two of their pool or as one of two best third place finishers to reach the quarterfinals.

In Beijing, four points was enough to qualify for that stage, and while three points from the Football Ferns’ next two games against Brazil and Cameroon is a minimum target to stay in the hunt, maximum points would leave a quarterfinal place in no doubt.

“Nothing’s really changed for us,” said head coach Tony Readings.

“We came into the tournament aiming to get enough points across the three games to not have to rely on other results. There are still six points on offer and if we get all six then we’ll definitely reach the next round.

“Our aim is to win the game against Brazil, get three points so we know what we need to do going into that last game.

But group favourites Brazil are a step up from even their opening match against Greta Britain. The world number five are yet to win a major tournament but have finished runners-up at both the Olympics and the Women’s World Cup and are spearheaded by five-times FIFA Women’s player of the year Marta, who netted twice in Wednesday’s 5-0 win over Cameroon.

New Zealand lost by that same score line the last time the two teams met – a group match in the 2007 Women’s World Cup – but Readings said that was a different time and a match against the Seleçāo Femina no longer held any fear for the Football Ferns.

“When you look this team in 2007 we were in our infancy in terms of competing and probably the start of this era of players coming through. Some of those players are still in the team and those players have grown immensely and have amassed 70 or 80 caps in some cases. That sort of learning and experience is vital when it comes to big games.”

“We’ve watched Brazil play and we know they are a good team with good individual players.

“We’re confident that we can bounce back from a disappointing loss to Great Britain where I thought we did enough to get something to get something out of the game.

“What we’ve seen in the past from this team is that when they are faced with adversity they normally come up with an improved performance and we think if we can improve on the performance against Great Britain we are good enough to beat Brazil.”

The match kicks off at 1.30am on Sunday morning (NZT) with Great Britain facing Cameroon in the group’s other match.

Women’s Olympic Football Tournament
Group E

New Zealand v Brazil
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
2.30pm July 28 (1.30am, July 29 NZT)
Live on Sky Sport 8

New Zealand: (from) 1-Jenny BINDON (GK), 2-Ria PERCIVAL, 3-Anna GREEN, 4-Katie HOYLE, 5-Abby ERCEG, 6-Rebecca SMITH (captain), 7-Ali RILEY, 8-Hayley MOORWOOD, 9-Amber HEARN, 10-Sarah GREGORIUS, 11-Kirsty YALLOP, 12-Betsy HASSETT, 13-Rosie WHITE, 14-Kristy HILL, 15-Rebekah STOTT, 16-Annalie LONGO, 17-Hannah WILKINSON, 18-Rebecca ROLLS (GK) .
Coach: Tony READINGS

Brazil: (from) 1-ANDREIA (GK), 2-FABIANA, 3-DAIANE, 4-ALINE, 5-ERIKA, 6-MAURINE, 7-ESTER, 8-FORMIGA, 9-THAIS GUEDES, 10-MARTA, 11-CRISTIANE, 12-ROSANA, 13-FRANCIELLE, 14-BRUNA, 15-DANIELLE, 16-RENATA COSTA, 17-GRAZIELLE, 18-BARBARA (GK).
Coach: Jorge BARCELLOS

New Zealand Olympic Schedule

July 28
New Zealand Women v Brazil
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
2.30pm (1.30am, July 29 NZT)
Live on Sky Sport 8

July 29
New Zealand Men v Egypt
Old Trafford, Manchester
Noon (11pm NZT)
Live on Sky Sport 9

July 31
New Zealand Women v Cameroon
City of Coventry Stadium, Coventry
7.45pm (6.45am, August 1 NZT)
Live on Sky Sport 4

August 1
New Zealand Men v Brazil
St James’ Park, Newcastle
2.30pm (1.30am, August 2 NZT)
Live on Sky Sport 4