The Football Ferns aren’t the only side the U-20 team draws on with the pathway also flowing from the U-17 set up with the inclusion of five players; Elizabeth Anton, Daisy Cleverley, Isabella Coombes, Geena Gross (who replaces the injured Hannah Carlsen) and Martine Puketapu – as well as coach Jitka Klimkova – all of whom are back in New Zealand after last week’s Young Football Ferns trip to the United States for a four-team tournament.
Meanwhile, in goalkeeper Corina Brown and Tayla O’Brien, the squad includes two players from McFarland’s 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup squad.
In addition to the end goal of securing a spot in the U-20 showcase in Canada in August, McFarland says the team has another overriding objective which is linked to the philosophy of the teams above and below his in the pathway.
“One of the main focal points of development for our age group sides is to develop a possession-based game,” McFarland said.
“We will continue to focus on this while coping with the expectations of winning the qualifiers. We are expecting the players will push themselves outside of their comfort zones to gain the most out of these international fixtures.”
McFarland sees twin strengths in his squad with a strong crop of individually talented players with a good level of previous age-group experience behind them – in addition to Brown and O’Brien’s previous U-20, 11 of the side represented New Zealand at the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan.
“Each year the individuals coming through the variety of pathways in New Zealand are showing the returns of the increased time invested into their technical development,” McFarland said.
“We have players throughout the squad who are comfortable with the ball and can play with good game intelligence.
“Many of this group will also have benefitted from their previous experiences on the world stage at age group levels and with the Ferns.”
New Zealand’s OFC U-20 Women’s Championship campaign begins on Tuesday, 18 February against Vanuatu at Centre Park in Mangere at 4pm.
Squad list:
Goalkeepers
Lily Alfeld (Mainland Football/Coastal Spirit FC)
Corina Brown (Capital Football/Louisiana Tech, US)
Defenders
Elizabeth Anton (Auckland Football/Lynn-Avon Utd AFC)
Catherine Bott (Capital Football/Waterside Karori AFC)
Emily Jensen (Mainland Football/Three Kings Utd)
Laura Merrin (Mainland Football/Coastal Spirit FC)
Meikayla Moore (Mainland Football/Coastal Spirit FC)
Megan Robertson (Capital Football/Waterside Karori AFC)
Geena Gross (Mainland Football/Suburbs FC)
Midfielders
Daisy Cleverley (Auckland Football/Forrest Hill Milford Utd AFC)
Isabella Coombes (Waikato Bay of Plenty Football/Claudelands Rovers)
Lauren Dabner (Mainland Football/Coastal Spirit FC)
Chloe Knott (Northern Football/Glenfield Rovers)
Emily Stotter (Capital Football/Eastern Suburbs AFC)
Forwards
Tayla O’Brien (Northern Football/Forrest Hill Milford Utd AFC)
Briar Palmer (Capital Football/Waterside Karori AFC)
Jasmine Pereira (Auckland Football/Three Kings Utd)
Martine Puketapu (Auckland Football/Three Kings Utd)
Emma Rolston (Capital Football/Waterside Karori AFC)
Belinda van Noorden (Mainland Football/Coastal Spirit FC)
For more on New Zealand football go to www.nzfootball.co.nz

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