The game will be another step forward for Coach Tony Readings and the Football Ferns as they look towards FIFA 2015 World Cup in Canada and the Olympics in 2016 and offer a different test from that of Australia.
“Japan will be another big step up for us, they’re current World Champions and we need to keep testing ourselves against the best in the world”, said Readings.
“It’s important that we continue to play this style of football. Japan will be a different game to that of Australia. They press a lot higher up the pitch and dominate the ball. They’re probably the best in the world at keeping possession of the ball.”
Japan have named a 25-strong squad for the match against the Football Ferns, bringing back Aya Miyama and 2011 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year Homare Sawa into the team. Newcomers Misaki Amano and defender Ayaka Watanabe will be looking to make their international debuts.
The Football Ferns last played Japan in the group stages of the FIFA 2011 Women’s World Cup with only a late free kick from Aya Miyama separating the sides in a 2-1 defeat.
Football Ferns: 1-Jenny BINDON (GK), 2-Ria PERCIVAL, 3-Anna GREEN, 4-Katie HOYLE, 5-Abby ERCEG, 6-Megan LEE, 7-Ali RILEY, 9-Amber HEARN, 10-Sarah GREGORIUS, 11-Kristy YALLOP, 12-Betsy HASSETT, 13-Rosie WHITE, 15-Rebekah STOTT, 16-Annalie LONGO, 17-Hannah WILKINSON, 18-Katie BOWEN, 19-Holly PATTERSON, 20-Helen COLLINS, 21-Erin NAYLER (GK), 22-Sarah MCLAUGHLIN
Coach: Tony READINGS
Japan: FUKUMOTO Miho, AMANO Misaki, KAIHORI Ayumi, YAMANE Erina, IWASHIMIZU Azusa, ARIYOSHI Saori, TANAKA Asuna, UTSUGI Rumi, SAKAI Yuki, WATANABE Ayaka, OSAFUNE Kana, KUMAGAI Saki, SAWA Homare, ANDO Kozue, MIYAMA Aya, KAWASUMI Nahomi, KAMIONOBE Megumi, SAKAGUCHI Mizuho, KIRYU Nanase, YAMAZAKI Marumi, NAKAJIMA Emi, OHNO Shinobu, OGIMI Yuki, TAKASE Megumi, IWABUCHI Mana
Coach: SASAKI Norio
Japan v New Zealand
Thursday, 20 June 2013
Best Amenity Stadium, Tosu
LIVE on SKY Sport 1 (CH 51) from 10.15pm
For more on New Zealand Football visit www.nzfootball.co.nz

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