New Zealand Women's U-20s

And Clegg should have scored there....

Ingham has done well in a very short period of time. She looks confident.
McMillan hasnt impressed me in this tournament, nor Iro particularly

This game will make it no wins in the last 11 games at this tournament for NZ - clearly what we are doing isn't working

And that's it. All over folks.  We lack speed and skill.  

FYI - Japan beat Austria 2-0 to top the pool, with 3 wins.

Them and North Korea who beat the Netherlands 2-0 (also 3 wins) look impressive.
Be interesting to see if either can go on to win it. 

Spitballing I think it's called. But see value in 3-5 Nix younger players, every ALW offseason spending a few months with a Japanese club if the Phoenix could somehow arrange it. Get a far better, more realistic idea of the development required, than starring in the lowly Aus NPL or NZ domestic leagues, banging in 20 goals in 10 games like seems to happen.

lthomas20

This game will make it no wins in the last 11 games at this tournament for NZ - clearly what we are doing isn't working

Maybe, just maybe, the gap between playing Samoa or the Cook Islands, and top quality opposition is a pretty big one. It's almost as though NZF are prioritising the revenue generated from qualifying for FIFA tournaments over actually doing remotely well in said tournaments. 

Felt like a match without a huge amount of quality shown from either team.

We gave Ghana too much time in and near the box and we were lucky they mostlyddidn't make the most of the gifted chances.

Would've liked to have seen a more changed starting line-up being that there was nothing on the line and it would be good to give as many players the experience of playing at a World Cup for their development.

Edit: Just to add something positive to my seemingly bleak comment - I'm happy for Manaia Elliott captaining this tournament, playing all 3 matches and getting her goal today. 

She has looked really impressive in the few Kate Sheppard Cup Nix Reserve games I've seen this year as well as a few of her performances early last season in the ALW, so anything that aids her development and makes her more ALW ready is a win in my books

Half a Pint

Felt like a match without a huge amount of quality shown from either team.

We gave Ghana too much time in and near the box and we were lucky they mostlyddidn't make the most of the gifted chances.

Would've liked to have seen a more changed starting line-up being that there was nothing on the line and it would be good to give as many players the experience of playing at a World Cup for their development.

Edit: Just to add something positive to my seemingly bleak comment - I'm happy for Manaia Elliott captaining this tournament, playing all 3 matches and getting her goal today. 

She has looked really impressive in the few Kate Sheppard Cup Nix Reserve games I've seen this year as well as a few of her performances early last season in the ALW, so anything that aids her development and makes her more ALW ready is a win in my books

I feel
Like we could have won the game against Ghana and maybe drawn against Austria. Us beating Japan is as likely as the All Whites beating Spain. What we lack the most is actually game time together. The players looked like they weren’t on the same wavelength most of the time. If we had played 10 matches in the preceding few months before the World Cup I think we would have seen different performances. Possibly starters would be different or the positions that players play would be different too. Even if they played u14 or u15 boys that would still suffice. I don’t think we lack players to hurt the opponents and technically we are waaaay better than we were as a whole ten years ago. Also our fitness has improved out of sight as players are now in full time academies or pro environments. Hardly ever see our players having cramp or having to come off because they are not fit enough. They need more time together as a team/squad. 

Unused sub

Half a Pint

Felt like a match without a huge amount of quality shown from either team.

We gave Ghana too much time in and near the box and we were lucky they mostlyddidn't make the most of the gifted chances.

Would've liked to have seen a more changed starting line-up being that there was nothing on the line and it would be good to give as many players the experience of playing at a World Cup for their development.

Edit: Just to add something positive to my seemingly bleak comment - I'm happy for Manaia Elliott captaining this tournament, playing all 3 matches and getting her goal today. 

She has looked really impressive in the few Kate Sheppard Cup Nix Reserve games I've seen this year as well as a few of her performances early last season in the ALW, so anything that aids her development and makes her more ALW ready is a win in my books

I feel
Like we could have won the game against Ghana and maybe drawn against Austria. Us beating Japan is as likely as the All Whites beating Spain. What we lack the most is actually game time together. The players looked like they weren’t on the same wavelength most of the time. If we had played 10 matches in the preceding few months before the World Cup I think we would have seen different performances. Possibly starters would be different or the positions that players play would be different too. Even if they played u14 or u15 boys that would still suffice. I don’t think we lack players to hurt the opponents and technically we are waaaay better than we were as a whole ten years ago. Also our fitness has improved out of sight as players are now in full time academies or pro environments. Hardly ever see our players having cramp or having to come off because they are not fit enough. They need more time together as a team/squad. 

As an example. Japan had regular camps and comps since March last year, understandable the cohesion that they show as a team. Most of there players are domestically based though which helps. 
Our age group teams always seem to go into these tournaments off limited build up. Because we qualify for every age group world cup. NZF budget would be surely stretched to give every team proper games and prep. That's the problem.

Austria who beat NZ 3-1, lose 5-2 to Nth Korea in R16. 

This Nth Korean team pretty much flogging everyone. Their tighest scoreline so far a 2-0 win over the Netherlands. The Supreme Leader will be happy so far. Extra rations. Brazil next.

Japan play Nigeria in their R16 game later today.

coochiee

Austria who beat NZ 3-1, lose 5-2 to Nth Korea in R16. 

This Nth Korean team pretty much flogging everyone. Their tighest scoreline so far a 2-0 win over the Netherlands. The Supreme Leader will be happy so far. Extra rations. Brazil next.

Japan play Nigeria in their R16 game later today.

Austria had a player red carded early in the match would have made a difference to the score line.

Ranix

Unused sub

Half a Pint

Felt like a match without a huge amount of quality shown from either team.

We gave Ghana too much time in and near the box and we were lucky they mostlyddidn't make the most of the gifted chances.

Would've liked to have seen a more changed starting line-up being that there was nothing on the line and it would be good to give as many players the experience of playing at a World Cup for their development.

Edit: Just to add something positive to my seemingly bleak comment - I'm happy for Manaia Elliott captaining this tournament, playing all 3 matches and getting her goal today. 

She has looked really impressive in the few Kate Sheppard Cup Nix Reserve games I've seen this year as well as a few of her performances early last season in the ALW, so anything that aids her development and makes her more ALW ready is a win in my books

I feel
Like we could have won the game against Ghana and maybe drawn against Austria. Us beating Japan is as likely as the All Whites beating Spain. What we lack the most is actually game time together. The players looked like they weren’t on the same wavelength most of the time. If we had played 10 matches in the preceding few months before the World Cup I think we would have seen different performances. Possibly starters would be different or the positions that players play would be different too. Even if they played u14 or u15 boys that would still suffice. I don’t think we lack players to hurt the opponents and technically we are waaaay better than we were as a whole ten years ago. Also our fitness has improved out of sight as players are now in full time academies or pro environments. Hardly ever see our players having cramp or having to come off because they are not fit enough. They need more time together as a team/squad. 

As an example. Japan had regular camps and comps since March last year, understandable the cohesion that they show as a team. Most of there players are domestically based though which helps. 
Our age group teams always seem to go into these tournaments off limited build up. Because we qualify for every age group world cup. NZF budget would be surely stretched to give every team proper games and prep. That's the problem.

But if we don't prepare properly then it's just a waste of a tournament. I feel for the players as clearly we have some decent young ones in the broad U23 space that will be/are being integrated into the Ferns, but when the preparation is poor and the coaching is tired and same old, results are sadly predictable.

Ranix

I see Klimkova is there at this world cup. That likely suggests she will be staying on as Football Ferns coach.

This aged well.

ClubOranje

Ranix

I see Klimkova is there at this world cup. That likely suggests she will be staying on as Football Ferns coach.

This aged well.

To be fair to Ranix she is still staying on at NZF for another 6 months, as some sort of coaching advisor. Hence why she got a nice little paid trip to Colombia.

coochiee

Austria who beat NZ 3-1, lose 5-2 to Nth Korea in R16. 

This Nth Korean team pretty much flogging everyone. Their tighest scoreline so far a 2-0 win over the Netherlands. The Supreme Leader will be happy so far. Extra rations. Brazil next.

Japan play Nigeria in their R16 game later today.

Any chance of the Nix signing any forwards or mids from this tournament tha would be interested to playing on the shop window that is the ALW? 

FYI - Japan with a 2-1 win over Nigeria to make the quarters.

Quarterfinals.
Nth Korea beat Brazil 1-0 to make the semis. 0-0 between Japan & Spain late in the first half.

https://us.soccerway.com/international/world/u20-womens-world-cup/2024/s22356/final-stages/

coochiee

Quarterfinals.
Nth Korea beat Brazil 1-0 to make the semis. 0-0 between Japan & Spain late in the first half.

https://us.soccerway.com/international/world/u20-womens-world-cup/2024/s22356/final-stages/

Netherlands vs Colombia 2-2 at the end of extra time and going to penalties

Update: Netherlands win 3-0 on penalties

Colombia didn't score their penalties. Shame for them but great for the Dutch. 

Japan v Spain still nil all 73 mins gone.  Come on Japan!!! 

Japan win 1-0. 
Could yet be an all AFC final, as they are on the other side of the draw from Nth Korea.

Semis. 
Japan to play the Dutch 
Nth Korea the winner of United States & Germany

USA equalise at the last minute to go into extra time.  Germany were leading 2 nil. Incredible