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Cameroon will face either England or France in the last 16 of the Women's World Cup next week, while New Zealand will board a long flight home.
Cameroon advances to the last 16 of the Women's World Cup courtesy of Ajara Nchout's goal at the death. An own goal from Aurelle Awona looked to have condemned her side to a premature exit from the competition, cancelling out Nchout's opener.
However, Cameroon flooded players forward in the dying seconds. Nchout produced the moment of brilliance required, weaving her way past New Zealand defenders before firing her effort past Erin Nayler into the bottom corner.
Alain Djeumfa's side were the better team this afternoon and deserve its place in the next round of the competition, which is secured thanks to its win along with their good disciplinary record. New Zealand didn't have enough in the contest, and although it will be disappointed to lose in that manner, it didn't deserve to continue at the expense of Cameroon.
That last goal was scored with 11 seconds to go for the final whistle. What an absolute thriller of a game this was!
What a brilliant game. Absolute madness in that final minute. I did not think this game would go on to become what it ended up becoming.
90'+5'
NCHOUT SCORES AT THE DEATH!!!! 2-1!!!!! The midfielder produces her second moment of magic of the game to win the contest for Cameroon.
Onguene offloads to her team-mate on the edge of the box. Nchout twists and turns her way past Percival with a neat piece of skill. She holds her composure once again curling her effort past Nayler with a super strike. Cameroon win the match with the last kick of the game.
Turns out that's just enough time. GOAAAAAL FOR CAMEROON!
Just enough time for one last chance for either side.
5 minutes added time. Are we looking at a draw?
I would not want to be Awona now. Her face said it all.
82' Riley works the ball towards White in the box, but she takes an extra touch and allows Johnson to make a clearing challenge. New Zealand has a huge opening now to try to force their way through to the last 16.
A draw helps neither side. Both need a goal now. Under 7 minutes to go.
Speculation , this time for New Zealand: If the Ferns can manage to make the scoreline 2-1 in its favour, it will be guaranteed of a place in the knockouts.
80' OWN GOAAL. OH NO. Aurelle Awona is shocked. A HORROR SHOW FOR AWONA!! 1-1!!!! New Zealand is back in the game out of nowhere. Bowen sends a harmless ball into the box towards the near post. Awona has to clear the ball amid the presence of White. She takes action, but slices her clearance past Ndom into the bottom corner. A huge goal and one that could knock Cameroon out of the tournament.
Time for speculation:
I was just going through the points table again. If Cameroon manages another goal and wins, it finishes with 3 points, 2 goals and a goal difference of -2. This puts it on equal terms with Nigeria. It will then come down to goals scored and then disciplinary points (yellow cards and red cards earned). Cameroon has a slight upper hand there. It has yellows fewer than Nigeria and more goals than the latter too. If it manages the same, it will edge out Nigeria which will then have to wait for the result of the Chile vs Thailand game. If Cameroon picks up two more yellows, it will be level with Nigeria in the disciplinary parameter too.
Wilkinson is in. Can New Zealand manage two?
As we stand now, Cameroon and Nigeria are placed almost on equal terms.
First yellow card of the tournament for New Zealand.
The World Cup is sparing nothing and no one. Green isn't going to be happy with this.
63'
CHANCE! Gregorius heads towards goal with a diving attempt from Riley's cross. The forward does well to pull back into space, but she can only direct her effort wide of the target. That was a chance for the Football Ferns.
57' GOOOOOOOALL.
Nchout went off the field a while ago with a cramp and what a way to comeback. The midfielder returns to the pitch and scores a brilliant goal to put Cameroon in front. She collects a cross into the box from the left from Leuko. Nchout turns Stott with ease before holding her composure, placing a left-footed strike into the bottom corner past Nayler.
Prayers have been answered. We have a change on the scoreboard!
Meanwhile, we struggle for a goal here in Montpellier.
OHHH CANADA HAS CONCEDED A GOAL.
If the Dutch maintain this score line till the end of the game, they will have a perfect record in the group stage.
Onguene has been doing for Cameroon what Sarah Gregorius is trying to do for New Zealand, except she's doing it a little better. She has been a real threat today and has been nimble on the field.
The goal scoring issue in this group seems to be all pervasive. Just eight goals in total from all the games so far. The Canada v Netherlands game has also given us nothing to be happy about. Tiring, the wait and the anxiety.
Full props to Sarah Gregorius. She has been going after a goal from the word go. Not successful so far, so there needs to be a rethink of strategy or placement here and SOON.
When will New Zealand bring in Wilkinson?
48'
WIDE! Feudijo latches on to a loose ball on the edge of the box and she pulls the trigger on a first-time volley. However, she slices her effort and it travels comfortably wide of the post.
47' SAVE! Riley stands up a cross to the back post and White rises to head towards goal, but Ndom reads the flight of the ball to make the save.
Oh what a tackle by New Zealand. Cameroon looked threatening but thwarted right on time.
There have been several goalless patches but I think this has been the most frustrating one.
My food has gone cold waiting for a goal. I'm going to quickly gobble it up and be back.
Goals and points aside, if the WWC had a fair play award like the IPL does, New Zealand would walk miles ahead of the rest of the teams in this tournament. It has not picked up a single yellow card this tournament. That's quite a record.
The crowd doesn't seem to fancy the referee too much.
New Zealand has woken up but it's going to take a lot more than what it's doing right now to scrape through.
We have three added minutes of play thanks to all the falls in the first half.
43'
Green hangs a looping cross into the box from a free-kick. Ndom is put under pressure from white shirts, but she claims the cross in a crowded penalty area.
42' Onguene makes a probing run towards the edge of the box before seeing her strike blocked by Duncan, putting her body on the line.
Speaking of rain, we've been seeing it rain cats and dogs in France and England and we sat by enviously, sweating our lives out in this heat here in India. We had good news today, a generous spell of rain in the city we're based out of. But guess where I am? No, NOT outside enjoying the showers but inside our newsroom. Feet in India, eyes over France.
One of our seasoned football correspondents Aashin (whose cricket blog I once gate-crashed) says he loves playing football in the rain. It seems to be the consensus in our newsroom. What about you? Do you prefer the clean pitch or some slush? Let us know in the comment section or reach out to us on Twitter at @sportstarweb.
The weather has been dicey in France. We had rains and strong winds on one end and now a merciless sun beats down on Montpellier. Ideal weather for football though, don't you think?
We could use trumpets and a brass band here. Instead, we have players falling all over the place. Injuries really freak me out and at this stage, can we just have a full and wound-free team on both sides please?
I absolutely envy my colleague, Manasi. She is bringing you live updates from the Canada vs Netherlands game. If you're not new to these live blog experiences with me, you will know that I love the Dutch crowd. What an atmosphere. I can only imagine how electric the atmosphere in Reims must be. Sigh.
Onguene is back and seems alright to continue. She does look quite uncomfortable though. I hope that thigh's not going to play up as the clock ticks.
Gabrielle Onguene
is down. She is Cameroon's best shot for an opener and has troubled New Zealand for the last 30 minutes at least.
31' Onguene requires treatment on her thigh before she can continue this afternoon. It would be a huge blow to Cameroon to lose her presence on the pitch.
30' Nchout releases the run of Onguene behind the New Zealand defence. However, Nayler sprints off her line and reaches the ball first, although the Cameroon skipper falls awkwardly after leaping over the keeper.
27'
Riley lifts a deep cross to the back post for the run of Gregorius. She heads the ball towards the near post for Percival, but she cannot reach on the stretch to convert the opening.
Cameroon has had four shots but just one on target. New Zealand hasn't even touched the ball in the Cameroon penalty area yet.
We have a free kick opportunity here for New Zealand. Ria Percival will take it. She is New Zealand's most capped player. Legacy.
25' Chance is back on the pitch and should be okay to continue this afternoon.
23' Chance is down for the Football Ferns and needs to leave the field for treatment. She was stepped on by Abam a couple of minutes ago and was running gingerly.
I wonder why the New Zealand game plan is to go on muted defense mode. Surely it is common knowledge, that the goals need to score.
22'
Chance tries to twist and turn in the box to open up a way to goal. Iwona makes the challenge and the ball strikes the arm of the New Zealand winger before she shoots. The whistle blows for the infringement before Chance puts her effort over the bar.
Cameroon is playing some attacking football here. New Zealand has been defending more in this half.
19' SAVE!
Onguene almost breaks the deadlock as she attempts to chip Nayler with a left-footed attempt, but the keeper reaches up just enough to get her fingertips on the ball before claiming at the second effort.
Seems like an even contest so far. Both teams have given away possession of the ball.
You only need to take one good look at the tackles and defense today to know just how important this game is. It's not everyday that you find an opportunity to still make it through to the knockouts come by in a final group game and both Cameroon and New Zealand will want to bring the best versions of themselves out there in Montpellier.
Stott makes a timely challenge on the right flank to prevent Abam breaking in behind the New Zealand defence. The defender had to time that tackle well.
Both the final games of Group E are being held today. Canada is taking on the mighty Dutch as we speak.
Here's where you can catch all the updates from there, with Manasi.
12' WIDE! Nchout does well on the edge of the box, beating a challenge before picking out Onguene on the left of the area. The Cameroon skipper goes for goal with a curling right-footed strike, placing her effort narrowly wide of the post.
A win would give the victor a strong chance to qualify for the knockouts, subject to further scrutiny as there will be other teams who have already finished with the same number of points.
Here's how group E looks at the moment.
GROUP E STANDINGS
The qualification algorithms have gotten a lot more complicated than when we last went back to check on it. If you're wondering where each of these 6 teams stand in terms of trying to squeeze through to the last 16,
I have some help.
I have an odd anxious feeling right in the centre of my chest today. These two ties (this game and the CHI vs THA tie) have way too much riding on it. After last night's thriller between Argentina and Scotland, there's only so much my now-faint heart is able to take.
1' We're underway in this Women's World Cup clash.
The atmosphere is festive! Carnival here with fans of both teams turning up. This match is crucial to decide what the last 16 will look like. Bringing you more details in a few minutes.
It's time for the national anthems here at Montpellier. The city saw some showers earlier today but its a sunny degrees out there - perfect weather for some great football.
Twelve teams go through this way leaving four spots open for the best third-place teams to occupy. China and Brazil are officially through after the former drew with Spain the other night and Marta helped the Selecao to a win over Italy. Two spots therefore remain, with six teams fighting it out to claim them as their own.
Here's a look at the top two teams from every group who have reserved a place in the knockouts.
Ahead of this game, 14 teams have already secured a space in the last 16. Two spots remain. To understand how teams qualify and what happens if teams are on the same points, here is a
guide to the knockout qualifications.
Hello and welcome to the LIVE coverage of the Group E fixture, where Cameroon takes on New Zealand at the Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier, France.
I'm
Lavanya . Today is a big day as far as confirmations of the last 16 are concerned. Cameroon takes on New Zealand in a game that has the fate of 6 sides depending on it.
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