KEY POINTS:
Determined their last game together should be one to savour, there will be no holding back when New Zealand run on to Westpac Stadium tonight to face Colombia in their final group A match at the Fifa Under-17 Women's World Cup.
The chance to join their male counterparts
- who beat Poland 2-1 in their last group match at the 1999 Under-17 World Cup - as the only winners at a Fifa tournament is an added incentive.
After winning a raft of fans with their gutsy efforts in one-goal losses to Canada and Denmark, the Young Football Ferns will again give their all on the pitch, aware victory will hand them third place. "It's certainly not a dead rubber," said Ferns coach Paul Temple. "They [Colombia] have to win to qualify. They will be giving it everything, as are we."
With two points from draws against Denmark and Canada, Colombia are the only South American team with any points. Failing to beat New Zealand could see the Colombians join the teams from Brazil and Paraguay on early flights home.
Temple will give his injured players every opportunity to play.
Goalkeeper Charlotte Wood (hip), right back Caitlin Campbell (Achilles) and midfielder Annalie Longo (calf) are in doubt but Temple is unlikely to hold them back, even though they are preparing to fly to Chile as members of the New Zealand under-20 team.
Wood has yet to play after being injured pre-tournament but Campbell and Longo have played key roles. Longo has scored New Zealand's only goal - a deft effort for 1-0 against Denmark on Saturday - and will be key to their chances tonight. Campbell's dead-ball expertise is also key to their chances.
Tonight's clash between Denmark and Canada at Waikato Stadium will decide group A. Both have four points and an identical plus-one goal difference. The group winner will almost certainly avoid unbeaten Germany in the quarter-finals.
Korea DPR, who meet Germany in the early game in Hamilton, need a point to guarantee their progress. They would only miss out if they lost and Ghana beat Costa Rica and edged ahead on goal difference.
Organisers are looking for similar crowd figures as the tournament heads into the second week. With 113,364 spectators already, organisers are contemplating the chance of overhauling the 216,853 who turned up to watch the under-17 men in 1999.
The 100,000-plus turnout is already more than double the total turnout for the 2006 Under-20 Women's World Cup in Russia.
Around 25,000 have watched New Zealand's two matches and in Wellington 10,795 turned out for the match between England and Brazil.
Host broadcasters Sky Television have been encouraged by the number of viewers. New Zealand's clash with Denmark on Saturday drew the same audience as the Kiwis' World Cup romp against Papua New Guinea later the same day.
* Today's matches
(points in brackets)
Group B: Germany (6) v Korea DPR (4), Waikato Stadium 4pm
Group A: Canada (4) v Denmark (4), Waikato Stadium 7pm
Group B: Ghana (1) v Costa Rica (0), Westpac Stadium 4pm
Group A: New Zealand (0) v Colombia (2), Westpac Stadium 7pm
