A hat-trick by striker Rosie White helped steer New Zealand to a 4-3 win over hosts' Chile in a women's under-20 World Cup football match in Coquimbo today (NZtime).
White, who notched a hat-trick in New Zealand's final group match against Colombia in the under-17 World Cup in New Zealand recently, scored twice in the first half, one off a penalty.
The result keeps the Junior Ferns in the running for a quarterfinal berth.
With three points from two matches, they play their final group match on Thursday morning (NZ time) against group leaders England in Santiago.
The Junior Football Ferns will need at least a draw, and probably a win, to advance to the next stage.
England and Nigeria, who beat New Zealand in their opening game, drew 1-1 today leaving England on top of the group on better goal difference from the Africans..
New Zealand were forced into deep defence to hang on for the win after Ria Perceival was sent off in the 87th minute for earning her second yellow card of the match.
White got New Zealand off to a good start on 21 minutes when she beat two Chilean defenders with a brilliant swerve before firing the ball past Claudia Endler from 10 metres.
The penalty came after Sarah McLaughlin was fouled by Endler in the box, and White blasted her spot-kick past the Chilean keeper.
Chile came out firing in the second half with Daniela Pardo rattling the upright from distance on 48 minutes.
Two minutes later, they pulled a goal back, when Karen Araya's freekick was punched out by Charlotte Wood to Maria Mardones, who sent her header into the net from 15 metres.
Chile surged forward in search of the equaliser but it was New Zealand who scored again on 66 minutes when substitute Renee Leota took advantage of confusion following a corner kick to hammer the ball home from close range.
Nine minutes later it was 4-1. White completed her hat-trick by exploiting Percival's diagonal pass.
Again Chile fought back, and Pardo knocked in Daniela Fuenzalida's cutback from the right on 83 minutes to keep the game alive.
After Percival was dismissed, Chile scored their third when Pardo's excellent pass reached Daniela Zamora, who ran on to score. New Zealand held out in the final minutes to show their hosts the exit from the tournament.
"Tonight has been a massive step forward for this team," said coach John Herdman.
"They've gone into a stadium full of 16,000 hostile fans, against the host nation who were aiming to do exactly what we were aiming to do. We had to win and win comfortably, push out as many goals as we could to give ourselves the best chance of qualifying.
"The last ten minutes were pretty disappointing b it think it marred an otherwise fantastic performance by this New Zealand team."
New Zealand management were likely to lodge an appeal against Percival's second yellow card on the basis on mistaken identity.
The foul for which Percival was booked looked to be made by teammate Caitlin Campbell.
