The Young Football Ferns - New Zealand's Under-17 women's soccer team - will take the first step on the road to Azerbaijan with three home trans-Tasman friendly internationals with their Australian counterparts in October.
The artificial football turf at Parrs Park in Oratia, Auckland, will host the matches on October 3, 5, and 7 and will serve as warm-ups for the sides' respective qualification campaigns for next year's FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Azerbaijan.
New Zealand has an impressive recent history in women's football having represented Oceania in all women's categories at all world cups since 2006. The class of 2012 start as favourites to qualify out the Oceania Championships in April next year.
All but two of the 18-strong squad making their international debuts. Lynn-Avon duo Megan Lee and Hannah Carlsen were both part of the 2010 campaign to Trinidad and Tobago.
Other features of the line-up include the call-up of two 14-year-olds in Martine Puketapu and Daisy Cleverly, while there is also room for Canada-based Emma Fletcher of the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Coach Paul Temple said: "We identified 34 players during the National Talent Centres and following a residential camp in the last school holidays we have selected a squad of 18 for these internationals.
"These matches will be used as a benchmark for where we are at this stage. Australia is a top side and in competition mode as they start their qualifiers for the world cup in a few weeks time.''
Australia's qualifiers will be held in China in November this year, where they face the hosts, South Korea, North Korea, Japan and Thailand. The Australians will be eager for success having missed out on qualification for the 2010 World Cup.
New Zealand cruised to qualification for the last World Cup with wins over Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga, amassing 37 goals and conceding none en-route to the Caribbean.
Young Football Ferns squad:
Goalkeepers: 1-Lily Alfeld (Canterbury School of Football), 16-Ronisa Lipi (Waterside Karori), Defenders: 2-Meikayla Moore (Canterbury School of Football), 3-Laura Merrin (Coastal Spirit), 4-CJ Bott (Waterside Karori), 5-Megan Lee (Lynn-Avon United), 15-Emily Jensen (Richmond), Midfielders: 6-Hannah Carlsen (Lynn-Avon United), 8-Jessica Innes (Glenfield Rovers), 10-Emma Fletcher (Vancouver Whitecaps), 12-Daisy Cleverly (Western Springs), 14-Tessa Leong (Claudelands Rovers), 17-Lauren Dabner (Canterbury School of Football), Forwards: 7-Jasmine Pereira (Three Kings United), 9-Martine Puketapu (Three Kings United), 11-Briar Palmer (Waterside Karori), 13-Jolene Muir (Eastern Suburbs), 18-Emma Rolston (Waterside Karori).
