NEW ZEALAND

How they qualified: They had an easy time of it in the four-nation Oceania qualifying tournament, registering a perfect 3-0 record against Tonga, the Cook Islands and Papua New Guinea, scoring 30 goals and conceding none. This will be New Zealand’s third straight appearance in the World Cup, fourth overall.

Best World Cup result: A draw

against Mexico in 2011.

Most recent World Cup result: Eliminated in the group stage in 2011 with a record of 0-2-1, finishing 12th overall.

Noteworthy: When the Football Ferns returned to the World Cup stage in 2007 — under John Herdman, who is now tutoring the Canadians — it ended a 16-year absence from the showcase. New Zealand has long had to compete against Australia for a spot for their confederation, and just didn’t have equitable resources. Australia is now in the Asian Football Conference and the Ferns also have benefitted from a much more structured approach to international competition. Theirs is a team that intends to compete, or, as captain Abby Erceg said: “we are no longer the team that everyone can get an easy three points from.”

Coach: Tony Readings. When Herdman left in 2011 to coach Canada, the English-born Readings, who had been coaching the U-20s, stepped in and guided the team to the 2012 Olympics. It was the first time that New Zealand had reached the knockout stage of a major tournament.

Notable players: During the qualification tournament, Abby Erceg became the first New Zealander — male or female — to reach 100 caps and will be pivotal to the side’s defence as will fullback Ali Riley, an American-born athlete plying her trade in Sweden with the powerhouse Rosengard. Their all-time leading scorer, Amber Hearn, who plays in Germany, has 45 goals in 98 matches.