AUCKLAND – The World Cup performances of Football Ferns Amber Hearn and Ria Percival has led to professional contracts in Germany’s Frauen Bundesliga with USV Jena and FFC Frankfurt .

Hearn, 26, signed a one year deal with Jena shortly after the World Cup while with three times European champions Frankfurt announced overnight that Percival, 21, had signed a two-year deal after impressing on a post-World Cup trial.

Hearn scored New Zealand’s goal against Japan in a 2-1 loss to the eventual FIFA Women’s World Cup champions and set up another in 2-1 loss to England, while Percival was the provider for Hearn’s goal and added late spark in the comeback 2-2 draw with Mexico.

After playing Champions League football with Arsenal and scoring for New Zealand at both the Olympic Games and Women’s World Cup, Hearn said turning professional completed her football bucket list.

“This is my first professional contract so it’s great to achieve my last goal,” said the 48 cap striker who has scored 23 times for the Football Ferns.

“I can’t wait to get over there and start playing with, and against, the best local and international players.”

Percival, who played all three World Cup games for the Football Ferns in midfield but is seen as a fullback by Frankfurt, says she is relishing the opportunity to play for a club that starts among the favourites in the three domestic and continental competitions it competes in.

“It has always been a dream of mine to play in Germany and to sign for a club like Frankfurt, which is probably the best over there is really exciting.

“They will be chasing the league, the cup and the Champions League again and I want to contribute to the club winning those trophies.

\With a squad full of internationals, the 59 cap Fern faces a battle to force her way into the starting line-up but one that she is braced for.

“I think they have eight German internationals, two from Sweden and one from Japan so it will be a big challenge to break into the squad but I’m prepared to fight hard to make it.”

The pair join New Zealand captain and Wolfsburg defender Rebecca Smith in the German league and they could soon be joined by team mates Katie Hoyle and Sarah Gregorius who have also had interest from German clubs.

With Hayley Moorwood (Chelsea) and Emma Kete (Lincoln Ladies) already plying their trade in England; Kirsty Yallop (Vittsjo) playing in Sweden; and Ali Riley (Western New York), Betsy Hassett (UCAL Berkeley) and Rosie White (UCLA) based in the USA there are more overseas players in the squad than ever before.

New Zealand coach John Herdman believes it bodes well for the Football Ferns hopes of qualifying for and competing well at the London Olympics.

“It was part of our long term migration strategy to get five players into professional environments – particularly into the top three leagues – by the end of 2011 and we’re getting beyond that now,” Herdman said.

“It means we have more players who will train and compete best-with-best every week and that can only help the Football Ferns improve.”

Hannah Wilkinson of New Zealand reacts after scoring the equalizing goal against Mexico. FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

SINSHEIM, GERMANY – Two last-gasp goals earned the Football Ferns a dramatic and historic 2-2 FIFA Women’s World Cup draw against Mexico in Sinsheim, Germany on Wednesday morning (NZT).

Trailing to first half goals to Stephany Mayor and Maribel Dominguez and heading to injury time, Rebecca Smith nodded home a 90th minute corner from substitute Kirsty Yallop before 18 year old substitute Hannah Wilkinson – briefly knocked out from a head clash moments earlier – slammed home an Ali Riley cross with the final kick of the game.

The draw sees the Football Ferns claim their first-ever Women’s World Cup point in their ninth match over three tournaments since 1991.

The pre-match talk of the Mexico’s lethal counterattacking ability was right on the money and from their first turnover in midfield barely a minute into the game, Moica Ocampo played in Stephany Mayor to clinically finish through Jenny Bindon for the game’s opening goal.

Mexico were chasing a large victory as part of their equation to qualify for the quarterfinals and their cause was helped when their prolific captain Dominguez got a jump on the kiwi defence in the 29th minute and was left to beat Bindon one on one.

But New Zealand, who had split possession evenly throughout the game, started to get more of a foothold after halftime as Mexico sat deeper and although the Football Ferns had already enjoyed more chances than their opposition they became more threatening in the final 15 minutes.

Substitute Ria Percival, flashed two shots over the bar before Smith went just wide with a header in the dying minutes.

She made no mistake with her next chance, towering over the Mexican defence and directing her header low inside the far post.

With time running out and Wilkinson back on the field after “seeing stars” from a clash of head and heavy fall, the teenager drifted off her marker, chested Riley’s cross down and finished high into the top left corner to seal a dramatic fight back.

“These girls could’ve got on the aeroplane at halftime and gone home,” said New Zealand coach John Herdman, “that was the reality.”

“They had nothing to play for other than their pride and their own identity as footballers and boy, did they go out there and show Mexico. It was magic.”

“We got some really experienced players in the team, including our captain Rebecca Smith – she’s right at the spine of it. But we’ve got a very young team. That was an 18 year old that scored the equaliser that scored the equaliser for New Zealand.”

Meanwhile England topped the group with a 2-0 win over Japan, earning a quarterfinal against France who lost 4-2 to Germany to finish behind the hosts in Group A.

The Football Ferns are eyeing international matches against top tier nations in September as part of their build up for the 2012 Olympics.

As champions of Oceania – via last year’s eight team World Cup qualifying tournament – New Zealand will play off in early 2012 against the winner of a preliminary Oceania qualifying tournament to qualify for the London games.

FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011
Tuesday July 5, 2011
Rhein-Neckar Arena
Sinsheim, Germany

New Zealand 2 (Rebecca SMITH 90’, Hannah WILKINSON 90+4’)
Mexico 2 (Stephany MAYOR 2’, Maribel DOMINGUEZ 29’)
Halftime: 2-0

New Zealand: 1-Jenny BINDON (gk), 3-Anna GREEN, 4-Katie HOYLE, 5-Abby ERCEG, 6-Rebecca SMITH (c), 7-Ali RILEY, 8-Hayley MOORWOOD (11-Kirsty YALLOP 60’), 9-Amber HEARN, 10-Sarah GREGORIUS, 12-Betsy HASSETT (2-Ria PERCIVAL 79’), 13-Rosie WHITE (17-Hannah WILKINSON 55’).
Substitutes not used: 14-Sarah McLAUGHLIN, 15-Emma KETE, 16-Annalie LONGO, 18-Katie BOWEN, 19-Kristy HILL, 20-Aroon CLANSEY (rgk), 21-Erin NAYLOR (rgk).
Coach: John HERDMAN

Cautions: Rosie WHITE 33’

Mexico:  20-Cecilia SANTIAGO (gk), 2-Kenti ROBLES (15-Luz del Rosario SAUCEDO 81’),, 4-Alina GARCIAMENDEZ, 5-Natalie VINTI, 6-Natalie GARCIA, 8-Guadalupe WORBIS, 9-Maribel DOMINGUEZ (captain), 11-Nayeli RANGEL (10-Dinora GARZA 46’), 18-Veronica PEREZ, 19-Moica OCAMPO, 21-Stephany MAYOR (16-Charlyn CORRAL 70’).
Substitutes not used: 1-Erika VANEGAS (rgk), 3-Rubi SANDOVAL, 7-Juana LOPEZ, 12-Pamela TAJONAR (gk), 13-Liliana MERCADO, 14-Monica ALVARADO, 17-Teresa NOYOLA.
Coach: Leonardo CUELLAR

Cautions: Maribel DOMINGUEZ 90’

Final Standings

Sarah Gregorius talks us through her World Cup experience

Football Ferns coach John Herdman outlines the motivation for the match against Mexico and the threats the opposition pose.

Football Ferns midfielder  Hayley Moorwood speaks about the upcoming Match against Mexico and the quest to get an historic first ever result at a FIFA Women’s World Cup

The Football Ferns take a tour around the beautiful city of Dresden

Football Ferns coach John Herdman talks to us about the side’s defeat to England in Dresden

Football Ferns talks to us after a heartbreaking loss to England at the FIFA Women’s WOrld Cup in Dresden.

HEIDELBERG, GERMANY – The chance to earn their first point at a FIFA Women’s World Cup or become the first New Zealand team to win a game at a senior FIFA event is driving the Football Ferns ahead of their clash against Mexico in Sinsheim on Wednesday morning (NZT).

Consecutive 1-2 losses to group favourites Japan and England have eliminated New Zealand from quarterfinal contention but midfielder Hayley Moorwood says the desire to carve out a small slice of history is still driving the team.

“We’re disappointed with the first two losses,” said Moorwood, “but we’re going to prepare like any other game and we’re looking for our first win at a big world event.”

“We’ve performed very well in patches of our first two games and we’ll need to bring that sort of form into the Mexico game. Mexico are a great side – they are ranked higher than us and we’ll need to prepare well.”

Sitting third in Group B, Mexico can still progress through to the last eight with three points but would also need  Japan to beat England and a combined five goal margin of victory from the two games.

New Zealand coach John Herdman is expecting a torrid start to the match as the North Americans try to solve their side of the qualification equation.

“There are two sides going into it with a lot to get out of the match,” Herdman said.

“Mexico are going to throw everything at New Zealand. They have to take three points and win by a significant margin.

“They’ll come at right us and that’s the beauty of this match. It’s not a nothing match. There’ll be a few fireworks – it’ll be scrappy at times but I think our team is capable of getting up and getting a result.”

Mexico are a rising force in women’s football with a 2-1 win over world number one USA and a 5-0 Cyprus Cup win over the Football Ferns in the last year testimony to their potential.

“They have got a number of threats,” Herdman said.

“They are definitely a counterattacking team, they hit teams quickly on the transition. They’ve got Dominguez up front and I think she’s got 60 odd goals from 90 odd games so she’s pretty prolific.”

“I think Mexico will hang in there. They showed in games like the 2-1 win over USA that they are a tough team to break down. They defend well but absolutely lethal on the counter-attack.  You think you’ve got them, you think you cruising and in a flash they are in behind you.”

The match kicks off at 4.15am on Wednesday morning (NZT) with live coverage on Sky Sport 3.

FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011
New Zealand v Mexico
Sinsheim, Germany
Tuesday July 5, 6.15pm (4.15am July 6 NZT)
Live on Sky Sport 3

New Zealand: (from) 1-Jenny BINDON (gk), 2-Ria PERCIVAL, 3-Anna GREEN, 4-Katie HOYLE, 5-Abby ERCEG, 6-Rebecca SMITH (c), 7-Ali RILEY, 8-Hayley MOORWOOD, 9-Amber HEARN, 10-Sarah GREGORIUS, 11-Kirsty YALLOP, 12-Betsy HASSETT, 13-Rosie WHITE, 14-Sarah McLAUGHLIN, 15-Emma KETE, 16-Annalie LONGO, 17-Hannah WILKINSON, 18-Katie BOWEN, 19-Kristy HILL, 20-Aroon CLANSEY (gk), 21-Erin NAYLOR (gk).
Coach: John HERDMAN

Mexico:  (from) 1-Erika VANEGAS (gk), 2-Kenti ROBLES, 3-Rubi SANDOVAL, 4-Alina GARCIAMENDEZ, 5-Natalie VINTI, 6-Natalie GARCIA, 7-Juana LOPEZ, 8-Guadalupe WORBIS, 9-Maribel DOMINGUEZ (captian), 10-Dinora GARZA, 11-Nayeli RANGEL, 12-Pamela TAJONAR (gk), 13-Liliana MERCADO, 14-Monica ALVARADO, 15-Luz del Rosario SAUCEDO, 16-Charlyn CORRAL, 17-Teresa NOYOLA, 18-Veronica PEREZ, 19-Moica OCAMPO, 20-Cecilia SANTIAGO (gk), 21-Stephany MAYOR.
Coach: Leonardo CUELLAR

Football Ferns defender Kristy Hill describes the origin and meaning of the team’s unique haka.