France’s Wendie Renard vies for the ball with New Zealand’s Annalie Longo.

Despite thrilling in their opening match victory over Colombia, defeat to the United States left highly-fancied France needing something from their final game against New Zealand in a winner-takes-all match in Salvador.

After 35 minutes of nondescript play without a single shot on target, French coach Philippe Bergeroo pulled off Marie Laure Delie and brought one of the stars of the first game, Eugénie Le Sommer. Immediately, the game sparked into life as New Zealand’s Hannah Wilkinson turned Wendie Renard before out-muscling Sakina Karchaoui but shot straight at Bouhaddi from a tight angle. Le Sommer then demonstrated what a difference she can make by holding up the ball for Élise Bussaglia to shoot at goal. A back-pedalling Erin Nayler tipped the ball onto the post but Le Sommer reacted quickest to volley the loose ball under the goalkeeper. Le Sommer might have added a second in first-half stoppage-time when a Thomis cross was cleared to her, this time she shot over with her left foot.

With New Zealand now needing to score to have a realistic chance of staying in the competition, France were content to sit back and counter-attack utilising the pace of Thomis and Le Sommer. France made the game safe in the 62nd minute when the retiring Louisa Cadamuro ghosted into the penalty area to head home Thomis’ right-wing cross. A text-book goal. Minutes later Renard headed wide from Cadamuro’s right-wing corner. Cadamuro then shot straight at Nayler from the edge of the area before Claire Lavogez tried an audacious shot from 40 yards.

France will travel south to play Canada in São Paulo, a repeat of the bronze-medal match they lost in Coventry four years ago. Unable to muster a single shot on target in the second half until the 86th minute, the Football Ferns frustration manifested itself in a nasty shoulder charge by Jasmine Pereira on the buccaneering Karchaoui which may have earned her more than the caution she received. The narrow defeat means they retain a slim hope of progressing should China defeat Sweden later tonight.