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Paraguay tour
Young Ferns Embark On Paraguayan Excursion
by Jeremy Ruane
New Zealand's U-17 Women's World Cup squad jetted out on Sunday to what is a new footballing destination where the women's game in this country is concerned.
Paraguay is where the Young Ferns will be based for the next fortnight, as both countries continue their preparations for the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Finals.
While in the landlocked Central South American nation, they'll be targeting a wee bit more history, as they bid to become the first team from these shores to defeat a Paraguayan representative side.
New Zealand has played internationals against Paraguay on a few occasions in the past.
The All Whites first crossed paths with the Paraguayans at a tournament in Chile in 1995, going down 3-2 to their South American rivals in Santiago. Four years on, the Junior All Whites twice lost 2-0 to their U-17 counterparts in Asuncion, before drawing 2-2 with them in Dunedin prior to the inaugural FIFA U-17 World Cup Finals.
So the Young Ferns will be looking to add further to their burgeoning reputation as history-makers when they take on the Paraguayans in two internationals, on July 14 and 19, NZ time.
The first international takes place at the Club 12 Octubre grounds in Itaugua, while the final game of the tour graces the grounds of the Cancha del Club Olimpia, in the Paraguayan capital, Asuncion.
It is in this city that the Young Ferns will also play two U-20 club teams, as part of a quadrangular tournament which also involves the Paraguayan U-17 squad. New Zealand's opening tour match takes place on Saturday against Cerro Porteno squad at the Rakiura Resort.
Then, following the first international, the Cancha de la Universidad Autonoma Asuncion provide the opposition for Paul Temple's squad at their home ground on July 17. All four tour matches kick off at 7am, NZ time.
Paraguay's squad qualified for NZ 08 by finishing third in the South American finals, having finished runners-up in their qualifying group to make the last four. Peru and Uruguay (both 4-1) and Venezuela (6-0) were swept aside, before they copped a 5-1 hiding from Brazil to decide the group winners.
A 2-1 loss to Argentina, in which Paraguay missed three penalties, meant turning the tables on the Brazilians was a must if they were to have any chance of qualifying for the inaugural finals.
They did so, 4-1, but then suffered a 7-2 hiding from the surprise South American champions, Columbia, one of the opponents against whom the Young Ferns have been drawn in their finals group in October and November.
All but four of the twenty-five players still in contention to make the World Cup Finals squad are on the tour. Among them is Rosie White, who will be hoping to make a welcome return to action after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during the Future Stars tournament at the start of the year.
Tour staff:
Paul Temple (Coach)
Rowena Fulham (Asst Coach)
Dave Self (Goalkeeper Coach)
Cathleen Bias (Manager)
Jose Figuiera (Tech. Analyst)
Anna Barlow (Physiotherapist)
Victoria Hirst (Massage Therapist)
Tour details (all games 7am, NZ time):
July 12 v. Cerro Porteno at Rakiura Resort, Asuncion
July 14 v. Paraguay U-17s at Club 12 Octubre, Itaugua
July 17 v. UAA at Cancha de la Universidad Autonoma, Asuncion
July 19 v. Paraguay U-17s at Cacha del Club Olimpia, Asuncion
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