New Zealand is the 22nd nation to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™, booking its spot after winning the 2014 Oceania Nations Cup.
New Zealand qualified after wrapping up the Oceania confederation tournament with three-straight wins, their final one was an 11-0 thrashing of the Cook Islands. Amber Hearn fetured with a four-goal haul, Helen Collins bagged a brace and there was one apeice for Abby Erceg, Ria Percival, Rosie White, Rebekah Stott and Betsy Hassett.
New Zealand qualified on 29 October 2014 in Kokopo, Papua New Guinea, netting 30 goals in their 3 group games without conceding once. This marks the fifth time New Zealand has qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup™. PNG took second place in the group, ahead of the Cook Islands and lastly Tonga.
Only two spots remain, with four European teams fighting for one spot (UEFA) and Trinidad & Tobago and Ecuador fighting for the other (CONCACAF-CONMEBOL playoff). Later this week, the field of four European teams will be reduced to two (winners from the Italy-Ukraine and Netherlands-Scotland series). See Scotland’s game in the Netherlands live on BBC ALBA at 6pm Thursday, also via the channel’s website.
The UEFA playoff will be decided on 27 November, while the CONCACAF-CONMEBOL playoff will be decided on 2 December.
From more than 129 competing nations, 24 countries from around the world will take part in next summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™. The Official Draw for the final competition will take place on 6 December 2014.
QUALIFIED (22 of 24): Canada (host), Australia, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, England, France, Germany, Ivory Coast, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, USA.
Pictured – New Zealand on the attack against the Cook Islands. (Photo: ofc.com)
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