Auckland’s Three Kings United and Hamilton’s Claudelands Rovers will meet in the 17th final of the knockout football competition but a total of eight players from the two clubs have been selected for the New Zealand squad for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup which begins in Trinidad and Tobago on September 5.
The Young Football Ferns, coached by Claudelands coach Dave Edmondson, leave New Zealand on August 27, with warm up matches against South Korea Republic and Ireland en route to the Caribbean.
New Zealand Football rules allow for clubs to apply to postpone games when three or more players are selected for international duty, but operations manager Glyn Taylor says the decision to look for an alternative to the original September 5 date is one of common sense.
“National cup finals are the pinnacle of winter football, and it is in the best interest of fans, players and clubs to have both teams field their strongest line-ups,” he says.
A venue for the final is yet to be determined but grounds in Hamilton and Auckland are being looked at.
Story and photo courtesy of NZF Media.
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