14 Aug 2014

Junior Football Ferns qualify in Canada

3:07 pm on 14 August 2014

The New Zealand under-20 women's football team have qualified for the knockout stage of the World Cup in Canada.

The Junior Football Ferns beat Costa Rica 3-0, their second win in group D.

Stephanie Skilton opened the scoring after 30 minutes, Megan Lee got the second after 70 minutes and Tayla O'Brien the third in the last minute of play.

The 2014 New Zealand under 20 women's football team

The 2014 New Zealand under 20 women's football team Photo: PHOTOSPORT

They finish second in their group behind France and will play group D's top qualifier, Nigeria.

The team joins the under-17 men's sides from 2009 and 2011 as the only New Zealand teams to progress to the knockout stages of a FIFA event.