Rosie White scored New Zealand’s goal – her seventh in three age-group FIFA events – in the 89th minute after using a clever first touch to turn her marker.
But by then the game had gone with Brazilian substitute Debora netting her side’s third goal two minutes earlier to take the game out of New Zealand’s reach.
Brazil opened the scoring in the 25th minute as Alanna threaded a ball through the New Zealand defence and a despairing touch from Briony Fisher only allowed Ludmila to ghost through and around goalkeeper Erin Nayler.
The Junior Football Ferns were again more than competitive against higher-ranked opposition but in a familiar story parity on the field was not matched on the scoreboard.
A blocked defensive clearance eventually resulted in Leah scoring Brazil’s second 14 minutes into the second half.
Debora grabbed her second and Brazil’s fourth almost immediately after White’s strike, catching New Zealand napping and latching on to a Estergiane long ball from the kick off, before rounding Nayler and restoring the three-goal winning margin.
But Brazil’s fate was sealed in Augsburg where Sweden edged already-qualified Korea DPR 3-2 to book their place in the second round. Sweden topped the group and will play Colombia while Korea DPR will take on hosts Germany in a battle between two of the pre-tournament favourites.
New Zealand’s hopes were extinguished after back-to-back 2-1 losses against Sweden and Korea DPR, and coach Tony Readings believes the team’s disappointment at missing out is a sign of how much New Zealand sides have grown on the world stage in recent years.
“Getting out of the so-called group of death was always going to be tough,” he says. “You only have to look at a team like Brazil, ranked third in the world at senior level and three times U-20 semi-finalists, going home to see just how tough it was.”
“Women’s football in New Zealand is in a good position. We had high expectations and that’s driven by having a core of players who went so close to making the quarterfinals in 2008 and increased success at senior level.
“We have lost to three of the best teams in the world but we feel we have the quality to have got something out of any of those games.”
New Zealand looked most threatening from set pieces in the first half, hitting the post from a 32nd minute Anna Green free kick, and creating half chances from another 10 minutes later and a pair of early corners.
“I think we were arguably the better team in the first half but the difference was we didn’t take our chances and when you are playing the quality of opposition we’ve played they will punish you,” Readings says.
“We fell behind in each of the three games, after hitting the woodwork or creating half chances, and the other teams have seized the momentum.
“Brazil’s man-marking and sweeper will always make them tough to break down defensively but when have you chase a game they’re probably the team that can hurt you the most. But I don’t regret chasing the game because if we had left not having giving everything to get a win that would’ve been a bigger regret.”
FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Germany 2010
Group B, Dresden
New Zealand 1 (Rosie WHITE 89) Brazil 4 (LUDMILA 25, LEAH 59, DEBORA 87, 90)
Halftime 0-1
New Zealand: 20-Erin NAYLER (GK), 2-Elizabeth MILNE (7-Hannah WILKINSON 46), 3-Anna GREEN (Captain), 5-Briony FISHER, 6-Bridgette ARMSTRONG, 8-Betsy HASSETT, 9-Hannah WALL, 10-Annalie LONGO, 11-Rosie WHITE, 13-Nadia PEARL (17-Sarah MCLAUGHLIN 46), 14-Renee LEOTA (4-Chelsey WOOD 72).
Substitutes not used: 1-Victoria ESSON (RGK), 12-Claudia CRASBORN, 15-Emily COOPER, 16-Julia LYNDS (RGK), 18-Lauren MATHIS, 19-Terri-Amber CARLSON, 21-Lisa KEMP.
Coach: Tony Readings
Cautions: Briony FISHER 28
Brazil: 1-ALINE (GK), 2-LEAH, 3-JULIANA CARDOZO, 4-ESTERGIANE (Captain), 6-RAFAELLE, 8-CAMILA, 10-ALANNA, 11-ANDRESSA (18-EDNA 41), 15-ALINE FERNANDA, 16-THAYNARA, 20-LUDMILA (9-DEBORA 74).
Substitutes not used: 5-BRUNA, 7-KETLEN, 12-MONIQUE (RGK), 13-MARINA, 14-LARA, 17-RAFAELA, 19-POLIANA, 21-ANA (RGK).
Coach: Marcos GASPAR
Story courtesy of NZF Media.
For the latest news on NZ Football visit www.nzfootball.co.nz