Football: Beating China vital for Ferns

Tony Readings. Photo / NZ Herald

The equation is simple for the Football Ferns' final group game against China at the Women's World Cup: win or go home.

After a disappointing 1-0 loss to the Netherlands and a spirited 0-0 draw with Canada, the Ferns are bottom of Group A but a win today should secure their passage through to the knockout stages.

And despite having never won a game at a Women's World Cup, the Ferns are confident they have the wood on the Chinese, who are ranked 16th in the world, one place higher than the Ferns.

"When we play them it's typically been close," said New Zealand coach Tony Readings.

"We won a couple of encounters in New Zealand [in 2012], then we played them in the Valais Cup [in 2013] and beat them quite comfortably 4-0 but then we played them three months later and they beat us 1-0 in China."

Should the Ferns gain all three points and leapfrog the Chinese, their placing will depend on the result of Canada's clash with the Netherlands in Montreal.

The hosts have four points while the Dutch, like China, have three, meaning New Zealand could move as high as second with the right result.

A third-placed finish with four points should earn a place in the Round of 16, against the winner of either Germany's or USA's group, while finishing in second place would book a date with Switzerland or Cameroon.

"It's going to be a game where both teams are fully committed to getting the result they need," said Readings. "It's two teams who have been pretty close in the past in terms of performances and results so hopefully it will be a good show.

"We haven't scored in the first two games but we feel we have created enough chances.

"If you look across all the teams in our group we are very closely matched so there hasn't been an abundance of chances for anyone."

With a defence that has been breached only once - only Brazil and Canada have conceded less - Readings says the difference between progression and an early exit could be a moment of magic.

"One chance could make the difference.

"It's a chance for someone to step up and be that game-breaker for us, find that little bit extra, a piece of skill that turns the match our way."