Draw kind to men; women to face US
The OlyWhites national under-24 men’s football team has avoided superpowers Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Spain and France at the Tokyo Olympics after being handed the kindest draw possible.
They will face South Korea, Honduras, and Romania in group B at the 16-team tournament, with the top two teams advancing to the quarterfinals.
The Football Ferns national women’s team will face reigning world champions, the United States; Sweden, who they have never played before, and trans-Tasman rivals Australia in group G, one of three groups in their 12-team tournament.
The football tournaments will be the first events to start in Japan, with the women’s event beginning on July 21, two days before the opening ceremony, and the men’s event beginning on July 22.
The Football Ferns’ best finish in three participations was in London in 2012, when they beat Cameroon 3-1 during the group stage to register their first Olympic win and advance to the quarterfinals, where they lost to the United States.
They will begin their campaign against Australia on July 21 (kickoff, 11.30pm NZ time) before facing the US on July 24 (also 11.30pm) and Sweden on July 27 (8pm)
The OlyWhites, who have never made it past the group stage in two participations (their best results were two draws, in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic tournaments) will start their campaign against South Korea on July 22 (kickoff 8pm NZ time), with Honduras to follow on July 25 (also 8pm),
and Romania on July 28 (8.30pm).
Many in the OlyWhites squad should be able to draw on recent experience against Honduras at age-group international level, with a number of those in line to be picked taking part in New Zealand’s 5-1 win over the Central American side at the 2019 Fifa Under-20 World Cup.
While there are no restrictions on squad composition for the women’s tournament, men’s teams will predominantly consist of under-24 players (those born 1997 or later), with only three older players allowed.
Competing nations are allowed to select 18 players in their squads (including two goalkeepers), as well as four travelling reserves (including one goalkeeper), who can only play if one of the original 18 is injured.