Midfielder Macey Fraser has withdrawn from the Football Ferns squad to play Japan for “personal reasons”, leaving the team’s training camp in Spain.
Interim head coach Michael Mayne told a media briefing: “She’s returned back to the US and I wish her well back there, and I’m sure we’ll see her again sometime soon, but again I can’t dive into those reasons but she had some personal reasons for not being in camp.”
Five-cap Fraser (21) recently moved from Wellington Phoenix to join National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) club Utah Royals.
READ MORE: US club ‘smashes’ record transfer fee to sign Phoenix midfielder Macey Fraser >>>>
Mayne said she was the only player selected for the two-match series with Japan who would not be available to play.
Mayne is temporarily in charge of the New Zealand squad after head coach Jitka Klimková took leave of absence while an employment-related investigation is underway.
READ MORE: Ferns coach Jitka Klimková takes leave of absence while investigation underway >>>>
The two-match series against Japan will help the selection of New Zealand’s 18-player squad to compete at the Paris Olympics.
Japan, who reached the quarter finals of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, have named a strong squad to meet New Zealand in their games at Estadio Nueva Conomina.
The 22-player squad includes players from Italian club AS Roma, Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt, Netherlands’ Feyenoord and England’s West Ham United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea.
READ MORE: World Cup stars named in Japan squad to meet Ferns in two-match series >>>>
Before taking leave, Klimková said it was still possible for players not involved in the Japan series to win Olympic selection.
READ MORE: Ferns coach Jitka Klimková takes leave of absence while investigation underway >>>>
The Ferns play France, Colombia and Canada in Paris, and all these teams have fixtures during the June international window.
READ MORE: International window to provide clues about Ferns’ Olympic Games opponents >>>>
Fixture
Game to be played on Saturday June 1, 2024 (NZT)
New Zealand v Japan
Estadio Nueva Condomina, Murcia, Spain, 2am (NZT)
Squads
New Zealand
Player/caps/club
Mackenzie Barry (15 caps) Wellington Phoenix FC, New Zealand
CJ Bott (44 caps) Leicester City, England
Katie Bowen (107 caps) Inter Milan, Italy
Claudia Bunge (30 caps) HB Køge, Denmark
Daisy Cleverley (37 caps) HB Køge, Denmark
Milly Clegg (6 caps) Racing Louisville FC, USA
Victoria Esson (23 caps) Rangers FC, Scotland
Michaela Foster (16 caps) Wellington Phoenix FC, New Zealand
Ally Green (12 caps) AGF, Denmark
Jacqui Hand (25 caps) Lewes FC, England
Grace Jale (29 caps) Unattached
Katie Kitching (8 caps) Sunderland AFC, England
Anna Leat (16 caps) Aston Villa FC, England
Meikayla Moore (64 caps) Glasgow City FC, Scotland
Grace Neville (8 caps) London City Lionesses, England
Gabi Rennie (35 caps) Åland United, Finland
Ali Riley (161 caps) Angel City FC, USA
Indiah-Paige Riley (23 caps) PSV Vrouwen, Netherlands
Murphy Sheaff (0 caps) Kansas State University, USA
Malia Steinmetz (29 caps) FC Nordsjælland, Denmark
Rebekah Stott (101 caps) Melbourne City FC, Australia
Kate Taylor (15 caps) Unattached
Hannah Wilkinson (124 caps) Melbourne City FC, Australia
Withdrawn
Macey Fraser (5 caps) Utah Royals, USA (personal reasons)
Staff
Acting head coach: Michael Mayne
READ MORE: Ferns coach Jitka Klimková takes leave of absence while investigation underway >>>>
READ MORE: Ferns coach Jitka Klimková: ‘Door is still open’ for Olympic squad selection >>>>
READ MORE: Milly Clegg earns recall to Ferns squad for two-game series against Japan >>>>
Japan
Goalkeepers
Ayaka Yamashita (INAC Kobe Leonessa)
Chika Hirao (Albirex Niigata Ladies)
Shu Ohba (University of Mississippi/United States)*
Outfield players
Saki Kumagai (AS Roma/italy)*
Mina Tanaka (INAC Kobe Leonessa)
Risa Shimizu (West Ham United/England)
Kiko Seike (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Urawa Reds Ladies)
Miyabi Moriya (INAC Kobe Leonessa)
Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City/England)
Hikaru Kitagawa (INAC Kobe Leonessa)
Honoka Hayashi (West Ham United/England)
Moeka Minami (AS Roma/italy)*
Fuka Nagano (Liverpool FC/England)
Remina Chiba (Eintracht Frankfurt/Germany)*
Riko Ueki (West Ham United/England)
Hinata Miyazawa (Manchester United/England)
Hana Takahashi (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Urawa Reds Ladies)
Rion Ishikawa (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Urawa Reds Ladies)
Aoba Fujino (Nippon Tv Tokyo Verdy Beleza)
Maika Hamano (Chelsea/England)*
Momoko Tanikawa (FC Rosengard/Sweden)*
Toko Koga (Feyenoord /Netherlands)*
*Will join the squad in Spain
Staff
Head coach: Futoshi Ikeda (JFA National Coaching Staff)
Assistant coach: Tomomi Miyamoto (JFA National Coaching Staff)
Assistant coach: Kensuke Teraguchi (JFA National Coaching Staff)
Goalkeeper coach: Toshiro Nishiiri (JFA National Coaching Staff)
Physical coach: Keisuke Otsuka (JFA National Coaching Staff)
Technical staff: Kei Mihara (JFA Technical House)
Upcoming fixtures
Game to be played on Tuesday June 4, 2024 (NZT)
New Zealand v Japan
Estadio Nueva Condomina, Murcia, Spain, 2am (NZT)
Olympic fixtures
Games to be played on Friday July 26, 2024 (NZT)
Canada v New Zealand
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne, 3am (NZT)
France v Colombia
Stade de Lyon, Décines-Charpieu, 7am (NZT)
Games to be played on Monday July 29, 2024 (NZT)
New Zealand v Colombia
Stade de Lyon, Décines-Charpieu, 3am (NZT)
France v Canada
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne, 7am (NZT)
Games to be played on Thursday August 1, 2024 (NZT)
New Zealand v France
Stade de Lyon, Décines-Charpieu, 7am (NZT)
Colombia v Canada
Stade de Nice, Nice, 7am (NZT)
More football stories
