The New Zealand side faces Costa Rica at the National Soccer Stadium in Toronto knowing a win, or possibly even a draw, could see it qualify for the last eight of the age-group event for the first time after four previous attempts.
If the team is able to get out of group D, it will join the under-17 men's sides from 2009 and 2011 as the only New Zealand teams to progress to the knockout stages of a Fifa age-group event.
The Kiwis opened the tournament with a 2-0 win over Paraguay last week, and go into today's do-or-die game having recovered from Sunday's 4-0 defeat at the hands of 2012 Under-17 champion France.
Despite the final scoreline against the European giant, Junior Football Ferns coach Aaron McFarland - who was also a member of the coaching staff of both Under-17 men's sides to progress - said there were positives to come from a match in which the New Zealanders resolutely held firm in their desire to build their possession phases from the back and retain the ball.
''Being able to do that against one of the best teams at the tournament shows our players have been better able to deal with the pressure this time around,'' McFarland said.
''To still be prepared to play through them while other teams may have resorted to smashing it long, still losing and not developing their style of play, is a good sign.''
Translating that same approach into today's game is the next task for a New Zealand side relishing the chance to make its mark on its own terms.
''It's exciting because our destiny is really in our own hands,'' McFarland said.
''The game, the opponent and the occasion . . . suits what we have set out to do in developing our philosophy and playing style.
''We will need to control the tempo, build from the back and retain possession to get the result we want.''
The Junior Football Ferns match against Costa Rica will be screened live on Sky Sport 2 and via Twitter @NZ-Football from 9am today.
