Gabi Rennie celebrates her goal with teammates. Photo / Photosport
Gabi Rennie celebrates her goal with teammates. Photo / Photosport
The Football Ferns could play up to 14 matches in 2022, including some long awaited games on home soil.
After two years of lesser activity, for various reasons, New Zealand Football have prioritised getting the Ferns back in action, reflected in the recent tours to Canada and South Korea.
Buttheir schedule could go through the roof next year, as NZF aim for the best possible build up to the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Speaking after the team's breakthrough 2-0 victory over South Korea on Tuesday night, coach Jitka Klimková didn't hold back when asked about her wish list for 2022.
"[We want to play in] every FIFA window," said Klimková. "Every time the FIFA window is open for national teams to be playing games.
"That's our goal with New Zealand football; we want to fill those windows in and play against strong opposition so we can learn as much as possible and be prepared for 2023."
Football Ferns head coach Jitka Klimková. Photo / Photosport
There are six women's match windows in 2022, with two-game blocks in April, June, September, October and November and a three-game phase in February.
That allows for up to 14 games, which would represent the Ferns' busiest year since 2014 (16 matches).
There is also an expectation of home games, probably in the second half of 2022, after only three in the last seven years.
"After this tour we will figure out what would be the best timing for some opposition to be invited to New Zealand and of course everybody's waiting for it," said Klimková. "We want to play at home."
A transtasman contest could be on the cards next year. It's a stated aim of NZF to strengthen relations with Australia and there will be pressure on both parties to make it happen, given the co-hosting arrangements in 2023.
"We are looking for those games," said Klimková, when asked about a potential Matilda's match up. "[And] it's great that it's not such a huge travel specifically for the players in Australia or New Zealand. Australia would be great opposition for us and we would love to play them in the future."
It will help New Zealand's cause in arranging future opponents that they have made encouraging progress under Klimková, epitomised by the breakthrough win over South Korea, thanks to impressive late goals from Paige Satchell and Gabi Rennie.
Paige Satchell celebrates her goal. Photo / Photosport
The victory snapped an eight-game losing streak, including the twin defeats to Canada (5-1 and 1-0) and last Saturday's 2-1 loss in Korea.
"We were waiting for it since the beginning of our journey," said Klimková. "We were ready for it. Those three games we probably needed, we needed to go through these stages to be prepared to actually really play to win."
No one should get too carried away, as South Korea were profligate with their chances, while Victoria Esson was brilliant in the New Zealand goal, but the result feels like a benchmark for the Ferns, after 14 losses and one draw in their previous 15 matches.
"It's a game changer," agreed Klimková. "If you really change your mind and you play [like] you want to win the game, that's what can happen and that's what happened to us."
Klimková was reluctant to single out individuals but admitted that Esson was "amazing" while Olivia Chance, who played the final ball for both goals, had a point of difference on attack.
Across four games Klimková's approach has already created significant internal competition, epitomised by Ashleigh Ward's solid debut at left back on Tuesday.
"It's great to have these younger players coming in and really pushing for starting spots and competing with some of the older players," said Satchell. "It makes the squad super competitive and overall that's going to make us better in the long term to compete and win games."
