Waimak duo set sights on World Cup
It has been a big year of football for Waimak United’s Macey Fraser and Gabi Rennie, and the next 12 months could be even bigger.
Fraser and Rennie featured for the Junior Football Ferns side that convincingly booked a place at next year’s U17 World Cup in Uruguay by winning the Oceania Football Confederation’s U16 Championship in Samoa last month.
Fraser and Rennie play up front for Waimak but found themselves in more defensive positions in the national side.
‘‘I was playing fullback but I am usually a wing so it was a bit unexpected,’’ Rennie said.
‘‘It was my first time playing at the back in a game. It was a bit different but it was fun.’’
New Zealand only conceded one goal during the championships which ended with a 6-0 win over New Caledonia to be the first team to join hosts Uruguay at the 16-nation 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup In Uruguay next year.
‘‘We still have a year to train hard to try and make it intro the team again for the world cup,’’ Fraser said.
If it all goes to plan, Fraser could have two trips to South America in 2018.
Fraser will become a dual international after being named in the inaugural New Zealand U18 women’s Futsal team alongside Waimak United teammate Lily Fisher. The team will play at the OFC Youth Futsal Championship in Auckland in October, with a place in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina on offer.
Waimak United captain Sophie Williams also made the inaugural New Zealand Women’s Futsal Ferns that play a series against New Caledonia in Tauranga next week (September 12, 13 and 14)
As for the Waimak season that came to a close last month, Fraser and Rennie said it was a better second year in the Mainland Women’s Premier League. While they results didn’t always go their way, it was a far more competitive season from the young side.
Williams, Rennie, Fraser are all expected to be named in the Mainland Pride, along with Rebecca Gillett and Briar Guyan, with several others in line for the Pride development squad.
The Rangiora HS girls made the top four at the Nationals in Taupo this week, playing their semi-final yesterday against Saint Kentigern before the finals today.