The 20th ranked New Zealand side head into the match against the Nadeshiko replenished by the return of four players absent from the Cyprus Cup in March with fullbacks Ali Riley, Ria Percival and Anna Green back in the squad along with goalkeeper Rebecca Rolls.
Readings, in charge of a team which has made big strides into the top 20 teams over the last 18 months, says the time has come for the Football Ferns to look the best in the world in the eye without blinking.
“We don’t really look at ourselves as the underdog anymore going into these games,” Readings said.
“The results last year proved that we can get results against top teams and we did that on more than one occasion, so we know we can do it consistently.”
Rather than being satisfied with the traditional Kiwi tag of plucky over-achievers, Readings says the group are as hungry as ever to continue their push to the top.
“We know, whilst we’re still better than we have been in the past, there is still so much untapped talent in the team individually and collectively so there is great motivation to keep striving towards being the team we’re capable of being.
“Already we’ve seen on this tour the team’s improved again, even over three or four days, and that’s rewarding because when the team is continually improving that provides the motivation to keep working hard.
“What we’d love to see is getting some reward from the hard work and seeing which areas have improved. On the flip side, we get to see the areas we still need to work on moving forward to be the team we want to be heading towards the World Cup and Olympics [2015 and 2016].”
To bring that timetable forwards with a positive result on Thursday night, Readings says it’s the less talked about defensive side of their opponent’s game which will be the biggest threat.
“Japan’s organisation defensively will put our ability to keep the ball under pressure and that’s great. That’s the test we want to have,” Readings said.
When the Football Ferns don’t have the ball, the New Zealand side have built a strong reputation for their work in winning it back, something which will be thoroughly examined by a Japanese team which will have learned from their last encounter – a 1-1 draw in Fukuoka last June.
“We pressed them really well last time and it was effective. But they’ve got a good coach and good players, so they’ll look to do things differently and try to overcome it, and that’s going to be a good test.”
Watch the Football Ferns in action against Japan on SKY Sport 1 from 10.35pm tonight.
Japan v Football Ferns
Thursday 8 May, 2014
Kincho Stadium, Osaka
SKY Sport 1, 10.35pm (NZ time)
New Zealand: 1. Erin Nayler (GK), 2. Ria Percival, 3. Anna Green, 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, 19. Evie Millynn, 20. Helen Collins, 21. Rebecca Rolls, 26. Megan Lee
For more on New Zealand football go to www.nzfootball.co.nz

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