National Teams
U17 Women’s World Cup: New Zealand’s Alana Gunn optimistic ahead of Nigeria clash
By Saheed Afolabi
New Zealand U17 women’s team coach, Alana Gunn, is full of confidence as her side prepares for their Group A opener against Nigeria at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
New Zealand’s best performance in the U-17 Women’s World Cup came in 2018, where they finished in third place, and Gunn is hopeful that her squad can build on that legacy.
Speaking ahead of the highly anticipated match, Gunn expressed her pride in leading a competitive team to the tournament and highlighted the importance of their recent preparations.
“It is going to be a privilege to lead the team at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, and I’m really pleased with the squad we have assembled after a competitive selection process,” Gunn said, according to NZ Football.
The team’s recent participation in the 2024 OFC U-16 Women’s Championship served as crucial preparation for the upcoming tournament.
“Having a number of the squad be part of the group for the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship last month has been good preparation for us, so we are looking to continue building on that momentum and challenging ourselves at the highest level,” she added.
Gunn is determined to carry forward New Zealand’s proud history at the U-17 Women’s World Cup, aiming to inspire the current generation to replicate the success of their predecessors.
“We know Aotearoa New Zealand has obviously done great things at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, so we want this generation to take inspiration from that success and we look to proudly represent the country in the Dominican Republic,” she said.
New Zealand will kick off their campaign against Nigeria on October 30 at the Cibao Stadium in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. With the Young Football Ferns eager to make a mark, the match promises to be a thrilling encounter as both teams vie for a strong start in the tournament.
