New- look Ferns eye future as they face world No 1
Football Ferns captain Ali Riley admits that the result today against the United States i s of secondary importance.
It’s a cliche with a lot of sports teams, but this time it seems justified.
Not only are the Ferns about to face the toughest test possible in women’s football — taking on the world champions on home soil — but they are doing so without some of their most important players of recent times.
Long- serving captain Abby Erceg ( 131 caps) retired earlier this year, and Katie Duncan has also pulled the pin on her 119- game international career. Sarah Gregorius ( 82 matches) has also departed the scene, and New Zealand’s record goal scorer Amber Hearn ( 53 goals in 120 appearances) is unavailable for the tour.
“This is a new beginning for us,” said Riley. “A fresh start. There are new faces and a new style of play to fit the team we have now. It’s about putting us in the right direction for the next two years.”
The 19th- ranked Ferns hope to be competitive against the world’s No 1 team, but are also taking the longerterm view.
“If we play well and implement our gameplan then we can definitely give them a run for their money,” said Riley. “But the focus has really been on establishing our culture and setting us up for the buildup for the [ 2019] World Cup. It’s about finding out where are we now and where we need to be and what better way to measure that than against the best team in the world.”
The USA have become familiar foes in recent years. They beat the Ferns 2- 0 at the 2012 Olympics, and won by the same score in Brazil in 2014. There have also been three clashes on American soil since 2013, with t wo defeats ( 4- 1 and 4- 0) bookended by a credible 1- all draw.
America remain the benchmark, despite the increasing globalisation of the women’s game, and are a formidable challenge.
“It’s mainly down to the sheer number of players that they have,” said Riley. “It seems like they have an unlimited number of amazing players that just keep rolling through. And they are not just direct and athletic but also technical. But the game is growing all around the world and that is what we are looking to do.”
Riley admits it has been strange to be in camp without the likes of Erceg, Duncan and Gregorius — “I grew up with those girls . . . they are like my sisters” — but she is looking forward.
“We are focusing on what we have, and how to create the best Ferns team possible with that,” said Riley. “We want to take this team to new heights and do things we have never done before.”
And the Ferns still have plenty of experience. Midfielders Annalie Longo and Betsy Hassett could both play their 100th international today, joining a select group of only six Ferns, including Riley, Hearn and Ria Percival.
The Denver match kicks off at 2pm ( NZT), with a second match in Cincinnati on Wednesday ( 12pm NZT).