FIFA Women’s World Cup: Ranking the Football Ferns’ 15 matches to date

ANALYSIS: New Zealand have played 15 matches at FIFA Women’s World Cups since their first appearance in China in 1991.

Those fixtures haven’t exactly produced a lot to write home about, with the Football Ferns managing just three draws alongside a dozen losses.

They’ve scored a total of eight goals – including an own goal – and only had their noses in front for a total of 59 minutes out of 1320.

But it’s still possible to look at the 15 matches and rank them from worst to best – and Stuff football writers Andrew Voerman and Phillip Rollo have done just that.

With match No 16 coming up on Thursday night, the opener of this year’s World Cup against Norway at Eden Park, here’s how we assessed the first 15.

15. 0-5 loss v Brazil; 2007

At Wuhan Sports Centre: Brazil 5 (Daniela 10’, Cristiane 54’, Marta 74’ 90’+3, Renata Costa 86’) Football Ferns 0. HT: 1-0

Back at the World Cup for the first time since 1991, the Ferns made the worst start, humbled 5-0 by eventual runners-up Brazil. A young New Zealand team were put to the sword by a classy team spearheaded by the legendary Marta – out-shot 27-2. The result remains the Ferns’ heaviest World Cup defeat.

14. 0-4 v Norway; 1991

At Guangdong Provincial Stadium, Guangzhou: Norway 4 (Own goal 30’, Linda Medalen 32’ 38’, Hege Riise 49’) New Zealand 0. HT: 3-0

After a tough World Cup debut against Denmark, the Football Ferns did well to stick with eventual runners-up Norway for 30 minutes. But the floodgates opened when New Zealand conceded off a corner. Norway added two more in quick succession through Linda Medalen before a fourth from Hege Riise – Norway’s current head coach – put the game to bed early in the second half.

13. 0-3 v Denmark; 1991

At Tianhe Stadium, Guangzhou: Denmark 3 (Helle Jensen 15’ 40’, Susan Mackenzie 42’) New Zealand 0. HT: 3-0

New Zealand qualified for the first-ever Women’s World Cup ahead of Australia, but they were beaten convincingly by Denmark in their first match. Denmark scored all three goals in the first-half, including two in the space of three minutes, giving them a commanding lead heading into the break. New Zealand never recovered.

12. 0-2 v Canada; 2019

At Stade des Alpes, Grenoble: Canada 2 (Jessie Fleming 48’, Nichelle Prince 79’) New Zealand 0. HT: 0-0

After a goalless first half, the Football Ferns were guilty of switching off early in the second. They conceded just three minutes into the second half after speedster Nichelle Prince won the race to a ball over the top and drove to the byline before cutting a pass back for Jessie Fleming to score. Prince got the second herself after tapping home from a rebound when the initial effort from Christine Sinclair struck the woodwork. The second straight defeat left the Football Ferns needing to win their final group E match in order to progress.

11. 0-2 v China; 2007

At Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium: China 2 (Li Jie 57’, Xie Caixia 79’) Football Ferns 0. HT: 0-0

Looking to avoid three defeats from three at their first World Cup in 16 years, the Ferns kept China out for almost an hour in a match the tournament hosts needed a result from in order to advance. Li Jie opened the scoring when she got her head to a ball from deep as Ferns goalkeeper Jenny Bindon came out to punch it clear and it looped into the back of the net. Xie Caixia then dribbled into the box from the right before finishing neatly with just over 10 minutes to play, leaving the Ferns without a point to show for their efforts.

10. 0-2 loss v Denmark; 2007

At Wuhan Sports Centre: Denmark 2 (Katrine Pedersen 61’, Catherine Paaske Sørensen 66’) Football Ferns 0. HT: 0–0

Backing up from their 5-0 defeat to Brazil, Football Ferns were under the pump for most of this game as well but it wasn’t until goalkeeper Jenny Bindon rushed out of her area and brought down an on-rushing opposition striker in the 61st minute that Denmark finally broke through. Katrine Pederson beat Bindon with the resulting free-kick, thumping the ball into the top left corner. Denmark’s second goal also came from a free-kick, Catherine Paaske scoring with a glancing header after getting on the end of Pedersen’s set-piece five minutes later.

9. 1-4 loss v China; 1991

At New Plaza Stadium, Foshan: China 4 (Zhou Yang 20’, Liu Ailing 22’ 60’, Wu Weiying 24’) New Zealand 1 (Kim Nye 65’). HT: 3-0

New Zealand were soundly beaten in all three games of the 1991 tournament but they still managed to create one moment to savour. Defender Kim Nye wrote her name into New Zealand football folklore when she scored the country’s first-ever goal at a Women’s World Cup midway through the second half. A cross came in at the back post from Monique van de Elzen and Nye lunged towards it, and just managed to hook the ball into the goal before raising her arms in celebration.

8. 1-2 loss v Cameroon; 2019

At Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier: Cameroon 2 (Ajara Nchout 57’ 90’+5) Football Ferns 1 (Own goal 80’). HT: 0-0

Both teams went into their final match of group E knowing a win would give them a great chance of progressing as the third-place qualifier. The Football Ferns fell behind in the 57th minute after Ajara Nchout got the better of Abby Erceg in the box, but they dragged themselves back into the game when Cameron failed to deal with a cross from Katie Bowen and conceded through friendly fire. Knowing a draw wasn’t enough to advance, the Football Ferns pressed forward in search of a late winner but that left them exposed at the back and it was Cameroon who stole the game at the death.

7. 0-1 loss v Netherlands; 2015

At Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton: Netherlands 1 (Lieke Martens 33’) Football Ferns 0. HT: 1-0

The Ferns headed into the 2015 World Cup in Canada looking to build on the point they secured at their final match in Germany in 2011, but after generating a couple of chances early, they fell behind when Lieke Martens fired a scorcher of a shot past goalkeeper Erin Nayler into the far corner with just over half an hour played. Hannah Wilkinson had a late shout for a penalty that was given and the Ferns succumbed to defeat for the ninth time in 10 World Cup matches.

6. 1-2 loss v Japan; 2011

At Ruhrstadion, Bochum: Japan 2 (Yūki Nagasato 6’, Aya Miyama 68’) Football Ferns 1 (Amber Hearn 12’). HT: 1-1

Japan went on to win the 2011 World Cup, but it took a moment of individual brilliance from Aya Miyama to beat the Football Ferns in their opening group B fixture. After conceding an early goal, Amber Hearn drew New Zealand level in the 12th minute after Ria Percival whipped in a dangerous cross from the right for her to head home. Japan edged back in front midway through the second half when Miyama fired the ball into the top right corner from a free-kick right on the edge of the penalty area.

5. 0-1 loss v Netherlands; 2019

At Stade Océane, Le Havre; Netherlands 1 (Jill Roord 90’+2) Football Ferns 0. HT: 0-0

The Football Ferns were minutes away from clinching a memorable draw against reigning European champions and eventual finalists the Netherlands in their opening game of group E, but they experienced late heartbreak when substitute Jill Roord struck in the second minute of stoppage time. Roord beat Abby Erceg to the ball after the initial cross from the left was headed back across goal by another impact player, Lineth Beerensteyn. Admitted Dutch coach Sarina Wiegman after the match: “Football is not fair”.

4. 1-2 loss v England; 2011

At Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion, Dresden: England 2 (Jill Scott 63, Jessica Clarke 81’) Football Ferns 1 (Sarah Gregorius 17’). HT: 0-1

Remember those 59 minutes where the Ferns have been ahead in World Cup matches? Forty-six of them came in this defeat to England in 2011, where Sarah Gregorius snuck between two defenders and met a cross by Amber Hearn down the left, sending it past goalkeeper TK. The Ferns held on to their lead as the match entered the final half-hour, only for Jill Scott and Jessica Clarke to strike and leave New Zealand empty-handed.

3. 0-0 draw v Canada; 2015

At Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton: Canada 0 Football Ferns 0. HT: 0-0

A series of stunning saves from goalkeeper Erin Nayler, including one where she tipped the ball onto the crossbar to deny Canada’s talismanic striker Christine Sinclair saw the Football Ferns come away with a memorable 0-0 draw with the hosts in their meeting with former coach John Herdman. However, the result could have been even better had it not been for a penalty miss from striker Amber Hearn early in the match. Hearn fired her shot against the crossbar. This match was delayed for half an hour just four minutes in, due to heavy showers and lightning.

2. 2-2 draw v China; 2015

At IG Field, Winnipeg: Football Ferns 2 (Rebekah Stott 28’, Hannah Wilkinson 64’) China 2 (Wang Lisi pen 41’, Wang Shanshan 60’) HT: 1-1

The Football Ferns were denied a first-ever World Cup victory and a place in the knockout stages in the most controversial fashion when they drew 2-2 with China in the final match of group A thanks to a howler from Hungarian referee Katalin Kulcsár. Up 1-0 thanks to an early goal from Rebekah Stott, the Football Ferns lost their lead when Kulcsár thought she saw a handball and awarded a penalty to China, despite the ball clearly hitting nothing but the chest of Betsy Hassett. Wang Lisi converted from the spot before Wang Shanshan beat Erin Nayler to a cross and scored a second from a header. Hannah Wilkinson salvaged a draw with a 64th-minute equaliser, while Chinese coach Hao Wei was sent off for obstructing Ria Percival while she tried to take a throw-in, as they looked to run down the clock.

1. 2-2 draw v Mexico; 2011

At Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim: Football Ferns 2 (Rebecca Smith 90’, Hannah Wilkinson 90’+4) Mexico 2 (Stephany Mayor 4’, Maribel Domínguez 9’). HT: 0-2

After pushing Japan and England close before ultimately coming up short, the Ferns went into their final match in 2011 knowing they couldn’t make the quarterfinals, but still searching for their first World Cup win – and if they couldn’t get that, their first World Cup point. When they fell behind 2-0 inside 10 minutes, those both looked far away, before a Rebecca Smith header in the 90th minute and a calm finish from Hannah Wilkinson in the 94th ensured they made history.