New Zealand midfielder Annalie Longo hopes Dunedin will provide “a rowdy crowd” to get behind the Football Ferns in Sunday’s do-or-die FIFA Women’s World Cup match against Switzerland.
“I’m expecting some jandals to come out,” she told 1News.
“Full stadium, some scarfies, maybe some Dunedin culture.”
The match is the first the Ferns have ever played in Dunedin, and they’ll create history at the Forsyth Barr Stadium if they get through to the knockout stages of the tournament for the first time.
To achieve that, they need to beat Switzerland, or draw and have the other group A game (between Norway and Philippines) also end in a draw.
“As a group, we have shown already that we can do it,” said Longo (32), who was the player who came up with the name ‘Football Ferns’ when she was a 15-year-old and first included in the national squad.
“There is a lot of belief there, and, man, I want to get out of this group.”
Main photo: Annalie Longo … wants a ‘rowdy crowd’ to get behind the Ferns. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.
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New Zealand are rated the outsiders of this match, with bookmakers TAB rating Switzerland a 44% probability of a win, with a 30% chance of a draw and a 26% likelihood of a home team victory.
New Zealand were paying $3.80 in fixed odds betting to win, while a dollar on a Swiss win returns $2.00. The draw is $3.00.
Organisers are expecting a full stadium in Dunedin.
READ MORE: World Cup attendances pass 300,000 mark for New Zealand-hosted games >>>>
Fixture
Game to be played on Sunday July 30, 2023
New Zealand v Switzerland
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, 7pm
Standings
How to watch
Here’s how and when you can watch the game on television, including the match highlights and full replays.
WATCH: How to view New Zealand play Switzerland at FIFA Women’s World Cup >>>>
Here’s how and when you can listen to match commentaries on radio.
LISTEN: How to follow the games on radio >>>>
The squads
New Zealand
Current FIFA ranking: #26
Best World Cup finish: Group stage 2019
Base training camp: Keith Hay Park, Mt Roskill, Auckland (home of Auckland United)
Goalkeepers
1 Erin Nayler (IFK Norrköping, Sweden)
21 Victoria Esson (Rangers, Scotland)
23 Anna Leat (Aston Villa, England)*
Defenders
4 CJ Bott (Leicester City, England)
3 Claudia Bunge (Melbourne Victory, Australia)*
5 Michaela Foster (Unattached)*
7 Ali Riley (Angel City, United States)
13 Rebekah Stott (Brighton & Hove Albion, England)
14 Katie Bowen (Unattached)
19 Elizabeth Anton (Perth Glory, Australia)*
Midfielders
2 Ria Percival (Tottenham Hotspur, England)
6 Malia Steinmetz (Unattached)*
8 Daisy Cleverley (HB Køge, Denmark)
10 Annalie Longo (Unattached)
11 Olivia Chance (Celtic, Scotland)
12 Betsy Hassett (Stjarnan, Iceland)
Forwards
9 Gabi Rennie (Arizona State University, United States)*
15 Paige Satchell ( Unattached)
16 Jacqui Hand (Åland United, Finland)*
17 Hannah Wilkinson (Melbourne City, Australia)
18 Grace Jale (Unattached)*
20 Indiah-Paige Riley (Unattached)*
22 Milly Clegg (Western Sydney Wanderers, Australia)*
*FIFA Women’s World Cup debut
Head coach
Jitka Klimková
Switzerland
Current FIFA ranking: #20
Best World Cup finish: Last 16 in 2019
Base training camp: Tahuna Park, Dunedin
Goalkeepers
1 Gaëlle Thalmann (Real Betis, Spain)
12 Livia Peng (BK Häcken, Sweden)
21 Seraina Friedli (Zürich, Switzerland)
Defenders
2 Julia Stierli (Zürich, Switzerland)
3 Lara Marti (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)
4 Laura Felber (Servette, Switzerland)
5 Noelle Maritz (Arsenal, England)
8 Nadine Riesen (Zürich, Switzerland)
14 Marion Rey (Zürich, Switzerland)
15 Luana Bühler (Tottenham Hotspur, England)
18 Viola Calligaris (Paris Saint-Germain, France)
19 Eseosa Aigbogun (Paris FC, France)
Midfielders
6 Géraldine Reuteler (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany)
7 Amira Arfaoui (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)
11 Coumba Sow (Servette, Switzerland)
13 Lia Walti (Arsenal, England)
16 Sandrine Mauron (Servette, Switzerland)
17 Seraina Piubel (Zürich, Switzerland)
Forwards
9 Ana Maria Crnogorčević (Barcelona, Spain)
10 Ramona Bachmann (Paris Saint-Germain, France)
20 Fabienne Humm (Zürich, Switzerland)
22 Meriame Terchoun (Dijon, France)
23 Alisha Lehmann (Aston Villa, England)
Head coach
Inka Grings
Tips for fans attending games
READ MORE: Going to a game at the FIFA Women’s World Cup? Here are some tips for fans >>>>
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