An 18-player squad has been named to represent New Zealand at the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship, which decides which nation will represent Oceania at next year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The eight-nation OFC tournament will be played in September in Suva, Fiji.
The New Zealand squad is the first named by new women’s U-17 head coach Alana Gunn, and features 15 players based in Aotearoa New Zealand, and three based in Australia and Canada.
Seven players were part of the squad who won the 2023 OFC U-16 Women’s Championship to qualify for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2024, set to be held in the Dominican Republic this October.
New Zealand squad
Derelle Avery (Spirit FC, Australia)
Mikaela Bangalan (Fencibles United, Aotearoa New Zealand)
Laura Bennett (Melville United, Aotearoa New Zealand)
Mackenzie Bryant (Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand)
Taylah Byers (Fencibles United, Aotearoa New Zealand)
Heidi Draai (Football Victoria, Australia)
Grace Duncan (Tauranga Moana, Aotearoa New Zealand)
Charley March (Hibiscus Coast, Aotearoa New Zealand)
Kara McGillivray (Auckland United, Aotearoa New Zealand)
Harriet Muller (Moturoa AFC, Aotearoa New Zealand)
Piper O’Neill (Auckland United, Aotearoa New Zealand)
Katie Pugh (Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand)
Holly Robins (Wellington Phoenix, Aotearoa New Zealand)
Kya Solomon (Taradale, Aotearoa New Zealand)
Keira Tichbon (Mississauga Soccer Academy, Canada)
Pia Vlok (Auckland United, Aotearoa New Zealand)
Megan Waayer (Grants Braes, Aotearoa New Zealand)
Natalie Young (Hamilton Wanderers, Aotearoa New Zealand)
Head coach Alana Gunn said: “I’m proud of the squad we have assembled and I know the team can’t wait to get together in Fiji to represent Aotearoa New Zealand on the international stage.
“It has been competitive and that’s what we really want across the ID and selection process.
Tournament groups
Group A
Fiji
Tonga
Cook Islands
Samoa (won qualifying tournament in June 2024)
Group B
New Zealand
New Caledonia
Tahiti
Solomon Islands
Fixtures
Game to be played on September 9, 2024
New Zealand v New Caledonia
HFC Bank Stadium,Suva, 12pm (NZT)
Game to be played on September 12, 2024
New Zealand v Tahiti
HFC Bank Stadium,Suva, 12pm (NZT)
Game to be played on September 15, 2024
New Zealand v Solomon Islands
HFC Bank Stadium,Suva, 12pm (NZT)
This story was first published on August 27, 2024.
More football stories
