New Zealand completed their under-20 women's World Cup soccer programme in Germany with a 4-1 loss to Brazil.
Trailing by three goals, New Zealand - featuring former North Force striker Hannah Wilkinson - pulled a goal back through striker Rosie White in the 89th minute. It was her seventh goal from
three age-group World Cup appearances.
Brazil, who needed to beat New Zealand to advance to the next round while hoping for the result of the other group B match between Sweden and North Korea to go their way, scored twice through Debora in the 87th and 90th minutes with Ludmila and Leah adding the others in the 25th and 59th minutes respectively.
"Brazil's man-marking and sweeper will always make them tough to break down defensively, but when you have a chase game they're probably the team that can hurt you the most," New Zealand coach Tony Readings said.
"But I don't regret chasing the game because if we had left not having given everything to get a win that would've been a bigger regret."
However, Brazil's efforts went unrewarded. Sweden beat North Korea, who had already qualified, 3-2 to top the group and will play Colombia in the knockout phase of the competition while North Korea booked a meeting with hosts Germany.
New Zealand fell out of contention after 2-1 defeats earlier to both Sweden and North Korea in the toughest grouping.
"Getting out of the so-called group of death was always going to be tough," Readings said. "You only have to look at a team like Brazil, ranked third in the world at senior level and three times U20 semifinalists, going home to see just how tough it was.
"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."
He felt the team didn't really have the luck they might have had during their pool matches.
"We fell behind in each of the three games, after hitting the woodwork or creating half chances and the other teams seized the momentum."
New Zealand's best result against a Brazilian team came four years ago when the U-20 class of 2006 drew 0-0 with the eventual bronze medallists in Moscow.
New Zealand 1 (Rosie White), Brazil 4 (Ludmila, Leah, Debora 2). Halftime: 1-0.
Final group standings: Sweden 7 points, North Korea 6, Brazil 4, New Zealand 0.NZPA
New Zealand completed their under-20 women's World Cup soccer programme in Germany with a 4-1 loss to Brazil.
Trailing by three goals, New Zealand - featuring former North Force striker Hannah Wilkinson - pulled a goal back through striker Rosie White in the 89th minute. It was her seventh goal from
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