Football Ferns head coach Jitka Klimková says Monday’s international friendly against Vietnam is as much about the team’s performance as the result.
In a pre-game media conference, Klimková said:
“We don’t want to be focused only on the result. We want to focus on our play and, again, consistency with our box-to-box combination play, and we want to improve our defending in front of our goal, and we want to be more efficient in front of the opposition goal.
“That’s the main focus of ours — to just grow in those areas.”
The match at Napier’s McLean Park is an opportunity for New Zealand to break its 10-match winless streak ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup that starts on Thursday July 20 when the Ferns play Norway at Auckland’s Eden Park.
READ MORE: Bumper crowd expected for Ferns’ warm-up match against Vietnam in Napier >>>>
READ MORE: Ferns goalkeeper Vic Esson: ‘It’s important we celebrate when we score’ >>>>
The team’s co-captains, Ali Riley and Ria Percival, also faced the media in Napier.
Percival is expected to return to the Ferns line-up against Vietnam, playing her first international appearance in 454 days after recovering from a serious knee injury.
Riley has joined the Ferns at the end of their nine-week training programme, having had a late release from her Californian club Angel City.
Watch the media conference
Fixture
Game to be played on Monday July 10, 2023
New Zealand v Vietnam
McLean Park, Napier, 5.30pm
How to watch
The game will be broadcast live on the Sky Sport 1 channel. The broadcast starts at 5pm.
Squads
New Zealand
Goalkeepers
Victoria Esson (14/0) Rangers, Scotland
Anna Leat (9/0) Aston Villa, England*
Erin Nayler (84/0) IFK Norrköping, Sweden
Defenders
Elizabeth Anton (18/0) Perth Glory, Australia*
CJ Bott (37/2) Leicester City, England
Katie Bowen (92/3) Unattached
Claudia Bunge (20/0) Melbourne Victory, Australia*
Michaela Foster (4/0) Unattached*
Ali Riley (152/2) Angel City, USA
Rebekah Stott (89/4) Brighton & Hove Albion, England
Midfielders
Olivia Chance (43/2) Celtic, Scotland
Daisy Cleverley (31/2) HB Køge, Denmark
Betsy Hassett (143/13) Stjarnan, Iceland
Annalie Longo (127/15) Unattached
Ria Percival (161/15) Tottenham Hotspur, England
Paige Satchell (42/2) Unattached
Malia Steinmetz (18/0) Unattached*
Forwards
Milly Clegg (2/0) Unattached*
Jacqui Hand (12/1) Åland United, Finland*
Grace Jale (17/2) Unattached*
Gabi Rennie (24/2) Arizona State University, USA*
Indiah-Paige Riley (7/0) Unattached*
Hannah Wilkinson (113/28) Melbourne City, Australia
*FIFA Women’s World Cup debut
Training players
Ava Collins (St John’s University, United States)
Kate Taylor (Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand)
Grace Wisnewski (Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand)
Vietnam
Goalkeepers
Tran Thi Kim Thanh (Ho Chi Minh City)
Khong Thi Hang (Than KSVN)
Dao Thi Kieu Oanh (Hanoi)
Doan Thi Ngoc Phurong (Ho Chi Minh City)
Defenders
Churong Thi Kieu (Ho Chi Minh City)
Luong Thi Thu Thuong (Than KSVN)
Tran Thi Thu (Ho Chi Minh City)
Hoang Thi Loan (Hanoi)
Tran Thi Thuy Nga (Thai Nguyen T&T)
Le Thi Diem My (Than KSVN)
Tran Thi Thu Thao (Ho Chi Minh City)
Nguyen Thi My Anh (Thai Nguyen T&T)
Tran Thi Hai Linh (Hanoi)
Tran Thi Thuy Nga (Thai Nguyen T&T)
Ha Thi Ngoc Uyen (Phong Phu Ha Nam)
Midfielders
Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung (Phong Phu Ha Nam)
Tran Thi Thuy Trang (Ho Chi Minh City)
Thai Thi Thao (Hanoi)
Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy (Ho Chi Minh City)
Duong Thi Van (Than KSVN)
Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha (Hanoi)
Nguyen Thi Truc Huong (Than KSVN)
Tran Nguyen Bao Chau (Ho Chi Minh City)
Vu Thi Hoa (Ho Chi Minh City)
Forwards
Huynh Nhu (Lank Vilaverdense)
Pham Hai Yen (Hanoi)
Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha (Hanoi)
Ngan Thi Van Su (Hanoi)
Vu Thi Hoa (Ho Chi Minh City)
