The Young Football Ferns take on Venezuela in Trinidad & Tobago later this morning (11am) fully aware that a result in their FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup opener is crucial to their quarterfinal hopes.
Dave Edmondson's charges have set their sights on becoming the first female footballers from New Zealand to reach the second round of a FIFA event, emulating their male counterparts who made the knockout stages in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria last year.
With European champions Spain and perennial age-group contenders Japan starting as favourites for Group C's two quarterfinals spots the Young Football Ferns' match against South American dark horses has taken on added importance.
Edmondson says it's really important to get every point possible and that first game makes such a big difference in terms of pressure following on from that.
