Abby Erceg

Abby Erceg

Erceg playing for FF USV Jena in 2014
Personal information
Full name Abby May Erceg[1]
Date of birth (1989-11-20) 20 November 1989[1]
Place of birth Whangarei, New Zealand[2]
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current team
 Western New York Flash
Number 6
Youth career
0000–2004 Three Kings United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2006 Three Kings United 36 (17)
2007–2008 Western Springs FC 22 (12)
2009 Three Kings United 23 (15)
2009–2010 Espanyol 11 (0)
2010 Fencibles United 25 (14)
2011–2013 Adelaide United 22 (0)
2013–2014 FF USV Jena 30 (5)
2014–2015 Chicago Red Stars 25 (0)
2016– Western New York Flash 10 (0)
National team‡
2007–2009 New Zealand U-20 24 (13)
2006– New Zealand 116[3] (5)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 3 July 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 16 June 2015

Abby May Erceg (born 20 November 1989) is a professional New Zealand footballer who plays as a defender. She is the captain of both the New Zealand national team,[4] and the Western New York Flash in the American National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).[5] She has previously played for Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL, Espanyol in the Superliga Femenina, and Adelaide United in the Australian W-League. Erceg was the first player (male or female) from New Zealand to play 100 international matches.

Club career

Erceg signed with German side Jena in 2013.[6] She was loaned to the Chicago Red Stars, an NWSL club, and played there for two months during the Bundesliga's 2014 summer break. After she returned and played the first half of the 2014–15 Bundesliga season, she and the Jena club ended her contract during the winter break.[7]

Erceg then signed with the Chicago Red Stars in May 2014.[8]

In November 2015, the Red Stars traded her to the Western New York Flash.[9]

In 2016, she captained the Western New York Flash to a NWSL League Championship.

International career

Erceg made her full Football Ferns début in a 0–3 loss to China on 14 November 2006, and represented New Zealand at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup finals in China,[10] where they lost to Brazil 0–5, Denmark (0–2) and China (0–2).

Erceg was also included in the New Zealand squad for the 2008 Summer Olympic games where they drew with Japan (2–2) before losing to Norway (0–1) and USA (0–4).[11] In the following tournament, Erceg helped New Zealand reach the quarterfinals, the Ferns' first ever knockout game in a FIFA tournament.[12] There they lost 2-0 to the United States.

She was included in the U-20 squad for the 2008 Women's U-20 World Cup finals in Chile.[13] Erceg earned her 50th cap for New Zealand aged just 21 when starting New Zealand's 2011 Cyprus Cup opening match against the Netherlands on 2 March 2011 and becoming the third most capped female player in New Zealand Football history with 62 caps to her name. Erceg was also a part of the team that qualified for the Women's Football World Cup that took place in Germany, in 2011 where they finished 12th overall.

Abby Erceg at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Erceg's experience led her to be named captain of the Football Ferns in 2014.[8] In the first game of the 2014 OFC Women's Nations Cup, she became the first player from New Zealand to reach 100 international caps.[14]

She featured in all New Zealand's three matches at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada.[15] Erceg was named for the 2016 Olympics squad, which will be her sixth international tournament representing New Zealand.[16]

Personal life

Erceg is of Māori descent, and affiliates to the Ngāpuhi iwi.[17]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "List of Players – 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  2. ↑ Profile at NZF
  3. ↑ "Profile". FIFA.com. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  4. ↑ "Caps 'n' Goals, New Zealand Women's national representatives". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
  5. ↑ Game 1: WNY Flash Open Against FC Kansas City
  6. ↑ http://www.womensoccer.de/2014/05/07/jena-leiht-abby-erceg-nach-chicago-aus/
  7. ↑ http://www.womensoccer.de/2014/12/17/abby-erceg-verlaesst-ff-usv-jena/
  8. 1 2 "Red Stars Sign New Zealand Defender Abby Erceg". 5 May 2014.
  9. ↑ "Red Stars Acquire Engen & 4th Round Pick in 2017 College Draft". Chicago Red Stars. 10 November 2015. the team has acquired U.S. Women’s National Team defender Whitney Engen and a fourth-round pick in the 2017 National Women’s Soccer League College Draft from Western New York Flash. In exchange, Western New York received Abby Erceg, Adriana Leon and a first-round (No. 9 overall) selection in the 2016 NWSL College Draft
  10. ↑ "New Zealand Squad List, 2007 Women's World Cup". FIFA. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
  11. ↑ "Olympic Football Squads Named". New Zealand Olympic Committee. 4 July 2008. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2008.
  12. ↑ Football Ferns reach Olympic quarterfinals
  13. ↑ "New Zealand (NZL)". FIFA. Archived from the original on 25 October 2008. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
  14. ↑ "Football Ferns captain earns her 100th cap". stuff.co.nz. 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  15. ↑ "FIFA player's stats". FIFA. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  16. ↑ Kiwi captain Erceg leading from the front
  17. ↑ "43 Māori athletes to head to Rio Olympics". Te Karere. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.

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