As the countdown to kick-off at the Paris Olympics gets shorter by the minute; the Football Ferns are hard at work preparing for the upcoming tournament.

It’s a difficult group for New Zealand who will not only come up against hosts France, but also Tokyo 2020 gold medallists Canada and World Cup 2023 surprise package Colombia.

However, having successfully held fellow Olympians Zambia to a 1-1 draw on Saturday 13 July, the team can take confidence into their opening game on the 25th.

New Zealand women qualified for their first Olympic Games in 2008 and have featured in every tournament since, advancing out of the groups once in 2012 as a best third-placed team before exiting the tournament to eventual gold medallists USA.

Coming off the back of a home World Cup that spotlighted their women’s national team, the Football Ferns will be hoping to make their mark in Group A, despite their tough opponents.

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In a last minute blow to New Zealand’s Olympic squad, captain Ali Riley has been forced to withdraw from the Games on medical grounds.

Riley has been called up to every single one of the New Zealand Olympic squads, and this tournament would have been her chance to solidify her place as a five-time Olympian and legend of the national team.

The details of her injury remain ambiguous, but the Football Ferns will now have to navigate their tournament without their skipper.

Head coach Michael Mayne said: “This decision to medically withdraw Ali has not been easy. She has done everything in her control to get herself ready to compete ahead of what would have been her fifth Olympic Games.”

“She is a veteran of this team, and someone that holds a lot of mana in the group, so we are hurting for her but also want her to get back to her best.”

There are three groups of four nations at the Olympic Games, with the top two of each group heading through to the knockouts along with the two best third-placed teams, meaning it’s a high stakes group stage to ensure that you aren’t one of the two initial teams to exit the tournament.

For the fifth time in a row, the Football Ferns secured the only Olympic spot given to the Oceanic Football Confederation – having cruised through their matches before beating the Solomon Islands 11-1 in the final of the qualifying tournament.

New Zealand’s tournament kicks off on 25 July against Canada; followed by Colombia on the 28th with France on the 31st concluding their group stage fixtures.

Should they progress beyond this point they could play a quarter-final on 3 August, a semi-final on 6 August, a bronze medal match on 9 August or the Olympic final on 10 August.


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