WINNIPEG — Lena Petermann scored twice in three minutes and top-ranked Germany trounced Thailand 4-0 Monday to advance to the round of 16 in the Women’s World Cup.
Melanie Leupolz put Germany ahead 1-0 in the 24th minute by heading in a corner kick.
The 29th-ranked Thai hung within a goal behind a brilliant performance from keeper Waraporn Boonsing. But the Germans finally made it 2-0 on Petermann’s header in the 56th minute — a feat she repeated two minutes later.
Sara Daebritz later closed the scoring by tapping the ball into an open net.
Germany finished atop its group with a goal differential of plus-14.
Later in Winnipeg, Wang Shanshan scored a well-timed header and China to earn a 2-2 draw against New Zealand, which was hurt by a questionable penalty.
China advances to the knockout stage as the second team from Group A thanks to the draw.
New Zealand (0-2-1) went up 1-0 on a goal by Rebekah Ashley Stott in the 28th minute, but China tied the game on a penalty kick by Wang Lisi. The penalty came after New Zealand’s Betsy Hassett was called for a hand ball in the penalty box, though replays showed the ball hit her chest and head.
China (1-1-1) took a 2-1 lead on Shanshan’s goal in the 60th minute. New Zealand tied the game five minutes later on a goal by Hannah Wilkinson.
Elsewhere, in Moncton, N.B., Ada Hegerberg scored twice to secure Norway’s berth in the knockout stage with a 3-1 win over Ivory Coast.
Norway (2-1-0) moves on as the second team from Group B behind Germany, and it will play the second team from Group F on June 22.
Hegerberg scored the opening goal for Norway in the sixth minute, beating Ivory Coast goalkeeper Cynthia Djohore at the near post. Hegerberg added her second with a left-footed kick in the 62nd minute, and Solveig Gulbrandsen put Norway up 3-0 in the 67th minute.
Ange Nguessan scored the only goal for Ivory Coast (0-3), a booming right-footed blast from well outside the penalty box in the 71st minute.