While matches in each pool will be played simultaneously on the final day of group action, New Zealand’s group is the last to get underway meaning the qualification equation will be clear by the time the Ferns kick off at 7.45pm local time.
The Ferns are aiming to claim one of two quarter-final spots available for the best third-placed finishers – spots currently held by Canada and North Korea with three points apiece heading into the final day.
If either lose their tough respective final matches against Sweden or USA, or if France suffer a shock upset to Colombia, New Zealand can overtake them with a victory over the Africans.
Depending on the way the results fall earlier in the day, the margin of New Zealand’s victory may also come into play although the Football Ferns’ goal difference is already better than the Koreans.
“We will know by kick-off what we need to do and if there’s anything we can do,” New Zealand coach Tony Readings says.
“We’re hoping that goal difference doesn’t become a factor and we just need to win to go through but if it does then we’ll do what we need to do. If we have to attack with more numbers and play with more risk then we’ll do it. We’ll do whatever we have to. There are no second chances.”
Readings says the two 1-0 losses to heavyweights Great Britain and Brazil have left the players disappointed but hungry.
“The thing we are desperate to do is have an opportunity to make it through to the quarter-finals because we feel we deserve to be there,” he says.
“We’ve got another gear to go up. We’ve said we wanted to grow throughout this tournament. We were good in the first game, better against Brazil and we need to be better again tomorrow to get the result we need.
“The players are really fired up. When we’ve lost at these events in the past we perhaps held on for a little bit in those games without really been competitive like we have in this tournament.
“There’s definitely a point to prove and some unfinished business for the players as we all feel a little bit robbed by the results in the first two games.”
Readings will have one change forced upon him with striker Hannah Wilkinson suspended for picking up two yellow cards in the opening matches while any other potential changes are likely to come in midfield where Hayley Moorwood, Kirsty Yallop, Betsy Hassett and Annalie Longo are essentially competing for two spots alongside Katie Hoyle and Amber Hearn.
The match kicks off at 6.45am on Wednesday morning (NZT).
Women’s Olympic Football Tournament
New Zealand v Cameroon
City of Coventry Stadium, Coventry
7.45pm July 31 (6.45am, August 1 NZT)
Live on Sky Sport 4
New Zealand: (from) 1-Jenny BINDON (GK), 2-Ria PERCIVAL, 3-Anna GREEN, 4-Katie HOYLE, 5-Abby ERCEG, 6-Rebecca SMITH (captain), 7-Ali RILEY, 8-Hayley MOORWOOD, 9-Amber HEARN, 10-Sarah GREGORIUS, 11-Kirsty YALLOP, 12-Betsy HASSETT, 13-Rosie WHITE, 14-Kristy HILL, 15-Rebekah STOTT, 16-Annalie LONGO, 18-Rebecca ROLLS (GK)
Coach: Tony READINGS
Cameroon: (from) 1-Annette NGO NDOM (GK), 3-Ajara NCHOUT, 4-Yvonne LEUKO, 5-Augustine EJANGUE, 6-Francine ZOUGA, 7-Gabrielle ONGUENE, 8-Raissa FEUDJIO, 9-Madeleine NGONO MANI, 10-Bebey BEYENE, 11-Adrienne IVEN, 12-Francoise BELLA (captain), 13-Claudine MEFFOMETOU, 14-Bibi MEDOUA, 15-Ysis SONKENG, 16-Jeannette YANGO, 17-Gaelle ENGANAMOUIT, 18-Reine SOSSO (GK)
Suspended: 2-Christine MANIE
Coach: Ngachu ENOW
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
For more on New Zealand Football visit www.nzfootball.co.nz

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