It's perhaps a sign of just how far the Football Ferns have come that yesterday they left the field disappointed after drawing 1-1 with Norway, a side ranked ninth in the world.
The Ferns are planning for next year's World Cup in Canada and their goals are clear; being competitive is no longer good enough and now, regardless of opposition, results are needed.
So when Norway scored an 81st-minute equaliser in a match the Ferns dominated, the team were left frustrated.
"We know we can play against teams at this level," said Ferns goal scorer Amber Hearn. "But we had the better of the game and we should have come away with the win. The team is not satisfied these days. We expect results because we can play at this level and set high expectations for ourselves."
The Ferns are using three matches in Europe as preparation for the World Cup in June next year and they produced an improved performance after their 2-1 loss to world number four France on Sunday.
