Football Ferns want to make history

The Football Ferns aren't dreaming of World Cup glory, success for them is rather less ambitious.

The 19th ranked Ferns take on The Netherlands in their opening game tomorrow morning in Le Havre.

This is the fifth time New Zealand has taken part in a World Cup finals, and they're still chasing their first win.

The Ferns scored 43 goals and conceded just one as they went through Oceania qualifying, but here it's going to be a whole different ball game with the world's top ten nations taking part.

New Zealand has had a mixed bag in warmup games, losing 5-nil to world number one the USA, beating third ranked England 1-nil and then losing to Wales, who aren't at the World Cup.

The Ferns have their most experienced side ever at a finals with eight having played more than 100 games.

One of those is the US-based defender Abby Erceg, who acknowledges that now is the time for them to take the next step.

"In prior World Cups we've been quite vocal about our goals and I think they've been a little bit unrealistic, but I think in this World Cup we've been extremely realistic about where we're at," she said.

"Going into an event like this and raving about wanting to win is probably a little bit unrealistic and you have to take it stage by stage and the first is getting out of the group, that's the most important thing and that does require that we do get some points somewhere from some teams."

In pool play New Zealand open up against 8th ranked the Netherlands before meeting 5th ranked Canada and then 46th ranked Cameroon.

Coach Tom Sermanni feels the opportunity is there for them to finally grab a win.

"It's one of those groups where I think all four teams will fancy their chances, obviously in world rankings Canada and Holland are significantly above us, but it's not an insurmountable task and I think if we can get our preparation right, if we can get everyone one of us turning up on the day and performing to our best, then we can certainly get through this group."

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A lot of the focus is on Sermanni, who has been in the job only seven months. He took over from Andreas Heraf who stood down ahead of the independent review into the game.

On the park New Zealand will be under pressure in their own half during the World Cup, but they'll need to perform at the other end if they're to achieve their aim of reaching the knockout stage for the first time.

Erceg says gone are the days when they stack their defence. They're out to score goals.

"We have to have some kind of attacking style of play, will we defend for a lot of the game, yes, but if we can take our chances when we do get them, and we will get them, we need to be really clinical in that part of the field, that's the big challenge for our strikers."

The former Ferns defender Kristy Hill agrees and says the pressure is on striker Sarah Gregorius to perform in front of goal at this tournament.

"We won't get as many opportunities as other teams. We have the ability to hold teams out for a lot longer which tends to get people a bit frustrated and our strikers, Sarah Gregorius, she needs to step up to the plate at this World Cup and finish some of those chances that we get."

Scoring goals against the Dutch tomorrow morning will be tough. They've conceded just two goals in their last six matches and are coming off a 3-nil win over Australia in their last warmup game.