That would be a first for any Kiwi age-group women’s side and would see Aaron McFarland’s charges follow in the footsteps of the U-17 men’s teams of 2009 and 2011. The key to doing so is likely to be the form of a handful of important players and oceaniafootball.com has therefore highlighted five figures whose performances at Japan 2012 will be vital.
Katie Bowen
Despite her tender years, Bowen is a veteran of the international scene. The 18-year-old has two U-17 World Cups under her belt – including one as captain – and was the bolter in the Football Ferns squad for last year’s senior World Cup in Germany. And she was not selected just to make up the numbers, starting in the losses against Japan and England. Most of her international action has come in midfield but the versatile Auckland resident is equally adept at the back and is likely to slot into the heart of New Zealand’s defence in Japan. Her no-nonsense play will be a steadying influence and she will be expected to provide leadership support to captain Rosie White.
Olivia Chance
One of the most technically gifted players at McFarland’s disposal, winger Chance is a prospect of huge promise and has already seen that potential recognised with several caps at senior level. The Tauranga local was one of the few success stories of New Zealand’s forgettable appearance at the U-17 World Cup in 2010, where her silky skills and willingness to take on defenders caught the eye. A virtuoso performance in the Women’s Knockout Cup final of the same year – she scored a hat-trick in the thrilling 5-4 win – helped Claudelands Rovers become the first non-Auckland team to lift the trophy for 15 years and she is likely to be just as important to the Junior Ferns’ chances. Her left-footedness is a bonus to McFarland as it will give the side balance going forward.
Kate Loye
Hamilton-born Loye has much in common with Chance in that she has also earned a name for herself domestically with Claudelands and likewise took that form into the U-17 World Cup two years ago, scoring New Zealand’s only goals of the tournament in the losses to Venezuela and Spain. The midfielder can take plenty of credit for the Junior Ferns’ safe passage to Japan 2012 as she was named player of the tournament in the Oceania qualifiers earlier this year. McFarland will be hoping for more of the same as the side steps up to the world stage and a strong showing from Loye could well eventually lead to a first call up to the senior national team. Her partnership with Nadia Pearl in the middle of the park will be a key component of New Zealand’s chances in Japan.
Rosie White
Much will be expected of skipper White and, as both the on-field leader and main goalscorer, she has a lot of responsibility of her young shoulders. How she handles that burden is likely to define the next stage of her development as she moves into an important phase. The 19-year-old Aucklander is already a mainstay of the Football Ferns squad and has a remarkable 40 caps to her name. She is currently part of the American university system and the coming couple of years will be crucial as she looks to turn her immense potential into a professional career. She is arguably the most accomplished player in the Junior Ferns’ ranks and is certainly the most experienced. If White can produce the performances many know she is capable of, the Three Kings United player could be one of the stars of Japan 2012 and a strong contender for the Golden Boot.
Hannah Wilkinson
The 1.76m Wilkinson burst into the national footballing consciousness as a raw and rangy teenager in early 2010, hitting five goals in three games at the OFC U-20 Championship to earn a call up to the Football Ferns just a month later. A relatively late bloomer, the Northland native was not included in earlier age-group national teams but former Ferns boss John Herdman had clearly seen something others hadn’t and was proved right when Wilkinson found the net seven times in World Cup qualifying and then scored one of the most memorable goals in New Zealand footballing history at the event itself last year in Germany. With the clock deep into injury time, substitute Wilkinson controlled the ball in the box and smashed it home to secure a 2-2 draw with Mexico – the New Zealand women’s first ever point at a senior World Cup. With her build always likely to cause problems, the 20-year-old’s touch and technique have now been refined and she is sure to prove a handful in her second showing at this tournament.

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