New Zealand vs Japan
FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2024
Tuesday 3 September KO 1pm (NZT)
Estadio Metropolitano de Techo, Bogotá, Colombia

Stream live and free on FIFA+

Aotearoa New Zealand’s 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup campaign gets underway tomorrow in Bogotá, Colombia as the team take on 2022 runners up Japan at Estadio Metropolitano de Techo. 

Head coach Leon Birnie has named a strong side for the tournament, with two players, in Milly Clegg and Ruby Nathan, being capped for the Ford Football Ferns, and three players, Aimee Danieli, Manaia Elliott, and Emma Pijnenburg, having been called up to senior national team squads. 

First opponent Japan are formidable at age-group level, and have played at eight FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cups, winning the tournament in 2018. Head coach Futoshi Ikeda’s squad is predominately based in Japan, with only two players playing outside the country. 

In 2018 Birnie led his U-17 team to the bronze medal at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, defeating Japan on penalties in the quarter-finals. A second win would be the perfect way to get the new tournament underway.
 

What head coach Leon Birnie has said:

[on Japan] “They've at medalled the last three FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cups, so it's going to be a massive task, but a task we're looking forward to. 

“That's why you play, to play some of these big nations and test yourself against the world's best, so we're looking forward to that.”


Player to Watch: Maika Hamano

Maika Hamano is a name that will be familiar to New Zealand football fans after the 20-year-old scored twice against the Ford Football Ferns in June. 

The Chelsea forward has four goals in 15 appearances at senior level for Japan so will be a major threat in a age-group tournament. 


How to Watch:

The game can be streamed live and free on FIFA+ from 1pm on 3 September (NZT). 


Article added: Monday 02 September 2024