The 19th ranked New Zealand side – who will be playing in their third consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament – will contest Group A in Edmonton and Winnipeg along with the hosts – currently ranked eighth in the world, China (14th) and Netherlands (15th).
Tony Readings’ team will open their tournament with a clash with Holland on Sunday 7 June (NZ time) at the Commonwealth Stadium followed by their reunion with Herdman and Canada on Friday 12 June.
They will then shift to Winnipeg to complete their Group A schedule with the game against China on Tuesday 16 June at the Winnipeg Stadium.
Speaking moments after the completion of the draw, Readings said his side face a challenge to progress into the knockout stages but it’s one the team are hungry for.
“It’s definitely one of the toughest groups, the Group with the USA is probably the toughest followed by ours,” Readings said.
“We’re the lowest ranked team in our group against three teams that we know pretty well.
“We’ve played against China quite a lot recently and Holland we’ve played many a time in Cyprus and Canada we know well, we played them just before the Olympics.”
“We know each game is going to be tough, there was never going to be an easy game at the World Cup. I think with our group that’s even more so.
“But they are three games we’re going to be looking to win because we’ve got ambitions to go all the way in this tournament and at least now we know the three teams so we can begin our preparation work for them.”
The second match of the tournament in Edmonton sees the team get together again with former coach Herdman and Readings says the group will be dialled in for what will be a great occasion.
“It will be a really good test and both teams have got players who have been in their teams for a while so the players know a lot about each other so it will be a real battle on the pitch.
“It will be a real good challenge for us in the tournament and it will be a great occasion because we’ll get to play in front of a lot fans which we’re used to.
“We’ve played against the hosts quite a few times now; in the 2007 World Cup and also the Olympics last year, so it’s something we’re used to and it’s something we relish and we’re looking to take that challenge head on.”
The Football Ferns have won three of the last four meetings with China, including a 4-0 win over the Asian nation at the 2013 Valais Cup in Switzerland, while Canada won their last match-up with the Ferns 2-0 in the lead-up to the London Olympics.
The New Zealand side’s last game against Holland came at the 2012 Cyprus Cup which saw the teams draw 2-2.
FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 – Draw
Sunday 7 December
Group A (rankings)
Canada (8th)
China (14th)
New Zealand (19th)
Netherlands (15th)
New Zealand matches (NZ time)
New Zealand v Netherlands
Sunday 7 June
Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton
New Zealand v Canada
Friday 12 June
Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton
New Zealand v China
Tuesday 16 June
Winnipeg Stadium, Winnipeg Stadium
For more on New Zealand football go to www.nzfootball.co.nz

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