The Football Ferns are ramping up their preparations for the Women's FIFA World Cup with a near full-strength squad named for their upcoming friendlies against Portugal and Argentina.
Coach Jitka Klimkova has named an "as strong as possible" squad for the games later this month with no uncapped players named among her 23 selections.
Instead, the squad features the returns of experienced defenders Rebekah Stott and CJ Bott, giving them a chance to play their first Football Ferns games in New Zealand since 2018 after missing recent home fixtures with injuries.
Young midfielder Grace Wisnewski has been named as a training player, while fellow in-form Wellington Phoenix players Michaela Foster and Milly Clegg missed the cut.
"Last month against the USA we were able to play in the World Cup stadiums and test some members of our wider squad," Klimkova said.
"For these matches we are eager to take the next step in building on our preparations leading into the tournament, continuing to focus on our performance goals on the pitch to compete for positive results.
Klimkova said the games were a good test for her squad as the World Cup draws closer after the USA sent a message to the football world last month with their dominant wins over the Kiwis in New Zealand.
"It is exciting and inspiring for the whole team to play another three games at home in a FIFA-run event.
"These games are as close to a FIFA Women’s World Cup group play environment as we are going to get before the tournament and we will be using it as a simulation to trial everything before July."
The Ferns will play World No.22 Portugal on February 17 at Waikato Stadium and 29th-ranked Argentina on 20 February at Waikato Stadium before a rematch takes place on 23 February at North Harbour Stadium.
All three games are being played alongside the FIFA Women’s World Cup play-off tournament, a competition which will decide the final three qualifiers and act as a test event for the main event.
Football Ferns squad
Goalkeepers: Vic Esson, Anna Leat, Erin Nayler
Defenders: Liz Anton, Mackenzie Barry, CJ Bott, Katie Bowen, Claudia Bunge, Meikayla Moore, Grace Neville, Ali Riley, Rebekah Stott, Kate Taylor
Midfielders: Olivia Chance, Daisy Cleverley, Betsy Hassett, Malia Steinmetz
Forwards: Ava Collins, Grace Jale, Gabi Rennie, Indiah-Paige Riley, Paige Satchell, Hannah Wilkinson
Training partner: Grace Wisnewski
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