2011 Women's World Cup Preview - New Zealand

Jun 25, 2011 - 9:53 PM Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - New Zealand will be entering its second straight FIFA Women's World Cup and third overall, still searching for its first ever positive result on the world stage. The team is one of a cluster of clubs in the 2011 World Cup that is hoping to make its mark among the elites.

The Kiwis are the class of the Oceania region since Australia moved to Asia, and they are out to prove they aren't just a throw-in in this year's tournament. The team actually outscored the opposition 50-0 in five qualification matches in the weak region.

Amber Hearn led the team with 12 goals while Sarah Gregorius, Rosie White and Hannah Wilkinson all scored seven each.

"It's a great feeling to know that we're going to the Women's World Cup," New Zealand captain and midfielder Hayley Moorwood said. "It's a huge event and we're really excited."

English-born John Herdman has been the coach since 2007 after arriving in New Zealand in 2003 as a developmental coach. Herdman is hoping the team can build on the experience it gained in the 2007 World Cup in China from all levels of its system.

"The team that we have now is very different to that of four years ago," Moorwood told FIFA.com earlier this year. "We perhaps have only about four or five players from the 2007 World Cup so it is quite a new and young team. In comparison we have quite a lot of new players who bring different qualities. We are, without a doubt, quite different to then and it's great to see the progression."

The Kiwis are in arguably the weakest group in the tournament, in Group B with England, Mexico and Japan, so advancing will be a possibility - albeit a slim one.

"Firstly, it's our minimum goal to progress beyond the group stage," Moorwood said. "The last game we played against Japan we drew 2-2, and the last game against England we drew 0-0, so I think we can do well in this group and we will do everything we can to achieve our goal."

PAST ACHIEVEMENTS:

-- FIFA World Cup qualifier: 1991, 2007, 2011.