WINNIPEG: Top-ranked Germany and Norway advanced with wins to the last 16 of the Women’s World Cup on Monday as a draw was enough to see hosts Canada and China through.

Germany beat Thailand 4-0 to progress as Group ‘B’ leaders ahead of Norway who secured their berth by beating Ivory Coast 3-1.

Canada were held 1-1 by the Netherlands but it was enough to top Group ‘A’ ahead of China who were held 2-2 in their fiery do-or-die clash against New Zealand, eliminating the Kiwis.

The four join champions Japan and Brazil, the 2007 runners-up, who are already through to the knockout rounds with a game to spare.

The Netherlands and Thailand finished third in Groups A and B and will be sweating on Tuesday and Wednesday’s results which will determine which four of the six third-placed sides will progress.

Germany’s Melanie Leupolz scored the opening goal in the 24th minute but the tournament favourites were repeatedly thwarted by Thai goalkeeper Waraporn Boonsing.

The Germans finally made it 2-0 on Lena Petermann’s header in the 56th minute, and she scored again two minutes later to effectively end the contest. Sara Daebritz later closed the scoring by tapping the ball into an open net.

Norway’s Ada Hegerberg scored twice to lead her team to victory over Ivory Coast and passage to the knockout stages.

Hegerberg scored the opening goal for Norway in the sixth minute, beating Ivory Coast goalkeeper Cynthia Djohore at the near post. Hegerberg added her second in the 62nd minute, and Solveig Gulbrandsen put Norway up 3-0 in the 67th minute.

Ange Nguessan scored a consolation with a booming right-footed blast from well outside the penalty box in the 71st minute.

Netherlands substitute Kirsten Van De Ven scored in the 87th minute and the Dutch earned a draw with hosts Canada. Ashley Lawrence scored early for Canada, but the Dutch were a threat all night with their counterattacking game and deserved the late equaliser.

A crowd of 45,420 at Olympic Stadium saw coach John Herdman make four line-up changes looking to boost the potency of a side that had not scored from open play in its first two games.

China’s Wang Shanshan scored on a perfectly timed header and the Chinese benefited from a questionable penalty to earn a draw against New Zealand.

New Zealand went up 1-0 through Rebekah Ashley Stott in the 28th minute, but China drew level after Wang Lisi converted a penalty awarded for handball against Betsy Hassett. The replays showed the ball hit her chest and head.

China went ahead 2-1 on Shanshan’s goal in the 60th minute. New Zealand equalised five minutes later through Hannah Wilkinson but they could not find the winning goal that would have given the side second place in the group.

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2015

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