Having played the last 27 matches on the road since 2012, the New Zealand side meet the world number six team twice over the next four days with the second match of the two-game series in Taupo on Thursday.
Football Ferns coach Tony Readings – who has had his team in camp in Auckland since Thursday – says he has had the opportunity to take the team forward after their tight 2-1 loss to world number three Japan in Osaka in May.
“We learned a lot about ourselves playing against Japan; some really good things and some things they exposed that we didn’t do so well,” Readings said.
“So this week has been a mixture of taking those learnings and applying them, making sure we are doing that in a context which is going to get the result against the Brazil while also building our team in the long term as well.”
With injuries impacting the team earlier in the year, Readings has added young talent to the Football Ferns wider squad and now, with senior professionals such as Ria Percival and Ali Riley back fit, competition for places is hotting up in a group eyeing World Cup and Olympic events in the next two years.
“We had an in-house training match yesterday and it was really competitive and that’s what it needs to be because the more competitive it is in training, the more it’s going to prepare us for top class games like this one.”
Despite one of the strongest nations in the world game coming to town, Readings says his side won’t alter their approach, putting development of his own team’s style and systems first while understanding a team like Brazil will have an impact on those plans.
“There are certain things we’ll do regardless of the opposition and what the opposition do will simply dictate sometimes how we do those things,” Readings said.
“For us the bare essentials are that we want to put pressure on the opposition as early as we can and as high up the pitch as we can and from an in-possession point of view we want to control the
game and dictate possession for as much of the game as we can.”
“Brazil are very physical and they press quickly with a tight marking system so how we control possession is going to be challenged.
“In possession they are very effective at being direct but also very effective at playing through midfield so how we apply pressure is going to be different to how we played against Japan but, fundamentally, it’s the same thing we’re trying to achieve.”
Monday’s match at Mt Smart Stadium will be the fourth meeting of the two sides with the Football Ferns winning the most recent clash 1-0 at the Valais Cup in September 2013 with Amber Hearn striking the winner. The victory was the first for a New Zealand side over Brazil at any level.
The previous two matches saw the New Zealand side fall 5-0 at the 2007 World Cup and 1-0 at the London Olympics in 2012.
Football Ferns captain Abby Erceg is set for her 98th senior cap for her country in Monday’s match while former New Zealand goalkeeper Jenny Bindon, who played 77 matches for her country, will be honoured with a presentation at half-time.
Football Ferns v Brazil
Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Monday 16 June, 7pm
Referee: Anna-Marie Keighley
Assistant Referees: Nick van der Salm, Nadia Browning
Fourth Official: Nick Waldron
Football Ferns: 1. Erin Nayler (GK), 2. Ria Percival, 4. Katie Hoyle, 5. Abby Erceg (capt), 6. Rebekah Stott, 7. Ali Riley, 9. Amber Hearn, 10. Sarah Gregorius, 11. Kirsty Yallop, 12. Betsy Hassett, 13. Rosie White, 15. Meikayla Moore, 16. Annalie Longo, 17. Hannah Wilkinson, 18. Katie Bowen, 20. Helen Collins, 21. Rebecca Rolls (GK), 26. Daisy Cleverley
Ticket details
Adults: $10
Children (16 and under): $5
– Ticket purchases will be at the venue only from Gate B on match day
– Ticket Sales will be from 5pm with the gate open from 6pm
– Venue access will be via Gate B only (top of the North Embankment)
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football
For more on New Zealand football go to www.nzfootball.co.nz

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