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Ferns set to give youth a chance

Andrew Voerman

Football Ferns coach Jitka Klimkova´ will make some personnel changes for their second match against Olympic champions Canada.

The two teams meet for the second time in three days at Stade Saputo in Montreal today and the Ferns will be looking to improve after losing 5-1 in Ottawa at the weekend.

Speaking on the eve of the match, her second since taking charge of the team, Klimkova´ said: ‘‘We are going to make changes. We are going to give the opportunity to the younger ones, and we are going to have some new starters.’’

Klimkova named the most experi

enced XI she could for her first match in charge and said while she wanted to keep the core of the team the same, she would make at least a couple of changes and potentially five or six.

After the loss on Sunday, where the Ferns gifted Canada two first half goals, then were exposed defensively in the second, Klimkova´ said fixes were needed at the back.

But she doesn’t have many options there when it comes to changing personnel, at least for this match. Uncapped fullback Tahlia Hermann-watt was on the bench but didn’t get on, and the only other option would be dropping Ria Percival back from midfield.

Klimkova´ said the Ferns’ defensive shape had been the focus of their postmatch analysis, and in particular, the way Canada’s fullbacks had been allowed to create overloads.

Janine Beckie on the right had a hand in all five of Canada’s goals, though some of them came after she had moved into a more advanced role. It was notable that the Ferns’ wide forwards stayed high up the pitch, rather than tracking back.

Klimkova´ made five changes during Sunday’s match, with debutante Jacqui Hand and Gabi Rennie playing the whole second half in place of Emma Rolston and Rosie White in the front three.

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2021-10-27T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-10-27T07:00:00.0000000Z

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