On August 6, twenty-one of this country's finest female soccer players aged twenty and under set off on the final leg of a journey which has brought about the realisation of a collective dream - New Zealand gracing the ultimate stage of a FIFA women's football tournament once again. It's some fifteen years since New Zealand finished eleventh in the inaugural twelve-team FIFA Women's World Cup Finals, with the code having been forced to play second fiddle to our West Island neighbours in the ensuing years. As Australia advanced in the women's game, New Zealand's progress was somewhat stifled as a result, to the extent that some of this country's best and most respected female footballers have made nothing like the number of international appearances of which players of their calibre and quality are deserving. Indeed, there have been, quite literally, years between international engagements for our leading women's stars in recent times, matters of fiscal prudence holding far higher priority in the eyes of the powers-that-be than those relating to footballing progress … somewhat ironic, too, given the foremost assets of any sporting code, its premier players, don't appear on the balance sheet! A combination of events led to several key changes taking place, not the least of which was Australia's withdrawal from Oceania with effect from January 1 this year, a move which left the door wide open for New Zealand to succeed their nemesis as the leading women's soccer-playing nation in FIFA's youngest confederation. With taking full advantage of this opportunity in mind, NZ Soccer made it a priority to take the shackles off the purse-strings, and proceeded to invest in the burgeoning potential of the female form of the code. It hasn't taken long for that investment to bear fruit. Project Russia - the quest to qualify for this month's FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Finals - began in the rain-soaked surroundings of Bill McKinlay Park on 2 October, 2005, with a pre-season friendly against North Harbour. And there have been plenty more highlights since, as captain Kirsty Yallop explains. “Finishing top of the National Women's League was a pretty decent achievement”, she says of the U-20 Development Squad's efforts throughout the Lion Foundation-sponsored competition. They suffered one defeat in that competition, to eventual champions, Auckland, then endured a couple more. “Australia wasn't a highlight, both personally - I broke my wrist - and overall. We played well in one of the games against the New South Wales Institute of Sport squad, but in general, the results weren't a true reflection of our efforts. “That wasn't the case in Samoa, however. Winning the Oceania qualifying tournament in April was huge - the biggest highlight of all, as it secured our berth to Russia”. That prompted intensified domestic preparations,

International Opponents (in playing order)

before another opportunity arose, one the midfield maestro admits she wasn't looking forward to in some respects. “I wasn't too confident about Argentina, to be honest, but my nerves were misplaced. We did a lot better than anyone had anticipated - a great tour”. Before the squad takes to the field in St. Petersburg at midnight on August 18, New Zealand time, two more matches in Holland were scheduled. The first saw a loss, 4-0, at the hands of the Dutch national side, a game played within thirty-six hours of the squad's arrival in Amsterdam, at a time when they were still overcoming jetlag. Four days later, they took on one of the leading Dutch clubs, VV Ter Leede, and the chance was taken to give all those who hadn't taken part in the international a run-out in this 3-0 defeat. “We're just excited to be finally close to going!”, giggled Yallop as the days counted down to departure. “They're a good group of girls, every one of whom is working really hard at present, and will continue to do so in the days leading up to our journey”. John Herdman is also looking forward to the opportunity the finals present to him personally as the squad's coach. “My objective, from a coaching perspective in Russia, is to ensure these girls get every opportunity to compete with the best in the world, and be an absolute rock for them, supporting them in every way I can so that, hopefully, they'll achieve something which no-one is anticipating. “It's a step up to a new level for us all. Not only is will it be my greatest challenge as a coach, it will be the greatest challenge every member in the squad has faced in their careers to date, because we're making a little bit of history as well”. Yallop knows full well the opposition won't be pushovers. “We're playing three of the best teams in the world. Australia are always tough - that goes without saying. Against Brazil, we come up against the likes of Marta, one of the stars of the 2003 Women's World Cup Finals. “And Russia, the host nation, have a real star in the making in striker Elena Danilova. So playing against the best players in the world will be a bit of a challenge”, declares the captain with a mischievous grin. Herdman is understandably delighted with what his young charges have achieved over the course of the last ten months. “The biggest highlight for me has been helping these girls develop some self-confidence, and seeing how they've grown in self-belief. “There was a little to begin with, but it's nowhere near as widespread as it is now, where we've got a group of girls going to Russia who truly believe they'll be competitive. “We're about to enter the reality of what, last October, was just a dream”, says the likeable Geordie in summing up New Zealand's prospects at Russia 2006. “Hopefully there'll be a happy ending in store for us as well!”