Soccer: French defeat earns NZ date with Mexico

The Football Ferns will play Mexico for seventh place at the Cyprus Cup. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand's 2-5 loss to world No 8 France at the Cyprus Cup women's soccer tournament in Nicosia today (NZT) means they will play off against Mexico for seventh place.

The Football Ferns finished third in Group B behind France and a rampant Dutch side, who qualified for the final with a 6-0 win over Switzerland.

Early pressure from New Zealand paid dividends as Sandrine Lusang turned a Hannah Wilkinson pass into her own net to give New Zealand a sixth minute lead

However, Marie-Laura Delie struck an equaliser in the 16th minute and gave the French a 2-1 lead three minutes later.

Eugenie Le Sommer finished off a swift counter-attack in the 25th minute for France's third before New Zealand fullback Anna Green bent a corner kick in at the back post to complete a goal-laden first half.

New Zealand's Cyprus Cup rotation policy continued with six substitutions in the second half, but they stayed in the game until the final eight minutes.

Delie completed her hat-trick and Elise Bussaglia slotted home after catching a stretched New Zealand side on the break as they chased the game.

"We've learned some lessons about counterattacking football on this tour," New Zealand coach John Herdman said.

"We're trying to attack and be positive in our play, but we're realising that if you are not tidy on the ball in midfield, opposition will put centre backs under pressure."

New Zealand wraps up the Cyprus Cup on Thursday morning against Mexico, a team they will also face in Germany on July 6 in their final World Cup pool match.

Herdman said there were still players he wanted to look evaluate.

"Regardless of it being a World Cup opponent, we have to stick to our plan and get a clearer idea on which players are getting closer to that final World Cup squad," he said.

"That said, the players we put out there I'm sure will be keen to strike a psychological blow, and every game we go into we want to win."

- NZPA