Junior Ferns face battle to qualify

The New Zealand Junior Football Ferns’ hopes of qualifying for the second round at the Fifa under-20 women’s World Cup now hang by a slender thread after a 3-0 loss to Germany.

Two second-half goals from setpieces to Clara Frohlich and Sophie Weidauer and a killer third to Gia Corley from a breakaway gave Germany a comfortable win at Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto in Costa Rica yesterday.

New Zealand entered the game with some confidence after a 1-1 opening round draw with Mexico while Germany had suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat to Colombia.

Gemma Lewis’ side is bottom of the group with one point from two games after Colombia and Mexico had a scoreless draw yesterday.

Colombia lead Group B with four points and a +1 goals differential, followed by Germany (3 pts, +2), Mexico (2 points, O differential) and New Zealand (1 point, -3). The Junior Football Ferns would need a big win over Colombia on Wednesday to advance into the knockout stages.

The first-half against German was scoreless, but the European side bossed the second spell after Frohlich’s header from a corner and Weidauer’s penalty while New Zealand were able to get just one shot on target over 90 minutes.

Germany finally got the goal their pressure merited from a leftwing corner in the 58th minute.

Frohlich rose above her marker to meet the ball powerfully and steer a header into the corner of the net. Sheaff got her fingers to the ball but could not keep it out.

Overall Germany had 55% total possession and 19 shots (six on target) to New Zealand’s six shots (two on target).