One of the programmes FIFA is promoting at the FIFA Women's World Cup Finals is called "Live Your Goals" - that's the badge which appears on the left sleeve of the shirt worn by each player during every match at Germany 2011. The programme couldn't have been plugged any better than in the last five minutes of the Football Ferns' final game at these Finals, against Mexico. The cherubs were 2-0 down, to goals after 67 seconds from Stephany Mayor and on the half-hour from Maribel Dominguez, but were still chasing the seemingly impossible. They believed, lived their goals, and realised their ambitions - a richly deserved historic maiden point at a Women's World Cup Finals was theirs, thanks to injury time strikes from captain Rebecca Smith and substitute Hannah Wilkinson, seconds after she had been staring up at the sky wondering what planet she was on. Never has a headache felt this good!! The girls celebrated as if they'd won, and fair enough too. They milked the moment for all it was worth - a haka, a lap of honour, the now traditional end-of-tournament dumping of the ice bucket on coach John Herdman - and so they should. This was the comeback of the tournament to date, no question, and it should certainly earn a spot in the final reckoning of the pubic's sporting moment of the year at the 2012 Halberg Awards. As well, it was achieved by a group of young women who have made any number of sacrifices over time to get to this spot on their progress chart. The Football Ferns have made massive strides since China 2007, and they have more to make. I cannot stress enough how proud I am of these female footballing champions. We all should be, regardless of our personal perceptions about selection policies, style of play, etc., which anonymous folk have been passing often only partially informed comment about on certain website forums in recent times - even after this latest result. (There's simply no satisfying some people …) The other match in New Zealand's group saw England score a 2-0 win over Japan to finish top of the pile. A steepling volleyed effort from Ellen White on the quarter-hour was followed by a Rachel Yankey effort half-way through the second half to see "The Lionesses" past Nadeshiko, the reward for which is a cross-channel derby in Leverkusen. France finished runners-up in Group A, a result of losing 4-2 to Germany in a riveting match, the outcome of which wasn't certain until the final minute. The world champions dominated from the off, and deserved the half-time lead headed goals from Kerstin Garefrekes and Inka Grings earned them. But Marie-Laure Delie pulled one back early in the second half, only for the Germans to restore their two-goal margin through Grings, whose penalty resulted from Fatmire Bajmaraj being felled by French goalkeeper Berangere Sapowicz, a challenge which earned the custodian a red card - only the third awarded to a goalkeeper in FIFA Women's World Cup Finals history. The ten women didn't give up, though, and after Laura Georges pulled another goal back, Gaetine Thiney came desperately close to levelling matters with a length-of-the-field effort in the dying minutes. But at the death, Celia Okoyino Da Mbabi belted home a beauty on the volley to clinch the points and top spot for the Germans, who now take on Japan in Wolfsburg. The other Group A encounter wasn't without its drama, despite being a dead match. Nigeria edged Canada 1-0 through a Perpetua Nkwocha goal six minutes from time, but the match finished a lot later than intended due to a floodlight failure half-way through the second half in Dresden - the Oceania refereeing team led by Fiji's Finau Vulivuli won't forget their World Cup debut in a hurry! Wednesday's fare saw the conclusion of group action, with Brazil joined in the last eight by Australia from Group D. The Matildas came from behind to sink Norway 2-1, a result which kills the European nation's hopes of qualifying for next year's Olympics - these Finals serve as UEFA's qualifying tournament for that event. Elise Thorsnes gave the Norwegians the lead in Leverkusen eleven minutes after half-time, but while they were still celebrating, Kyah Simon went down the other end and equalised, before scoring the

Some familiar faces at last - the Mexico game marked the first time in the tournament I'd been able to catch up with the majority of the NZ fans Anthems time before making history 21 heroines unleash a haka Can you spot the plane coming into land? Brazil's turn to face the Canon firing squad An Airbus A380 thundering along the tarmac at Frankfurt International Airport Ships at anchor somewhere off Germany's coast Welcome to hell, more like! The only saving grace is that heaven is just thirty miles west!!

winner three minutes from time, seconds after Trine Ronning had hit the crossbar at the other end with a free-kick. Brazil, meanwhile, scored three second half goals to eclipse Equatorial Guinea 3-0 in Frankfurt, Cristiane leading the way with two of them, including a penalty. Erika opened the scoring with a sumptuous volley before the under-rated striker's delicious back-heeled finish did justice to a Marta cross, and prompted the latest rendition of the most famous somersault celebration in women's football. But after the shock of the tournament in Group C, one of the tournament favourites will be heading home after the quarter-finals, and there is a very real possibility that Australia could progress to the last four as a result. Sweden stunned the USA 2-1 in Wolfsburg to finish top of the group and book a quarter-final against Australia, with the Americans set to face Brazil in Dresden for a place in the semi-finals. In a terrific encounter, Sweden opened the scoring from the penalty spot through Lisa Djalkvist in the sixteenth minute, and after Amy Rodriguez had hit the crossbar at the other end, Nilla Fischer's deflected effort doubled Sweden's lead ten minutes before half-time. The USA piled on the pressure in the second spell, but only had an Abby Wambach goal to show for it come the final whistle, which means a mouth-watering quarter-final is in store. Meanwhile, Columbia and North Korea drew 0-0 in the other Group C game, a result which confirms the Football Ferns have finished two places better off than China 2007 - twelfth spot, the best of the fourth-placed teams, and with a better record than the North Koreans. Rest days are on the cards on Thursday and Friday, so, what to do with myself? An absolute no-brainer. It's 23 years since I've been this close to The Shrine of Football - did you honestly think I'd come this far and not make the effort to see the rellies and visit the centre of the footballing universe, Anfield? A stadium tour and museum visit, including a photo with "Ol' Big Ears", a raid on the club shop - and it just so happens they're launching the new season's training gear while I'm there, as well as confirming a few player acquisitions! - plus lunch at The Boot Room Sports Café … and here's me thinking the cherubs' result was heaven-sent! Heaven beckons! Group A details: Canada 0, Nigeria 1 (P. Nkwocha (84))  HT 0-0 France 2 (M. Delie (56), L. Georges (72)), Germany 4 (K. Garefrekes (25), I. Grings (32, 68 pen), C. Okayino Da Mbabi (89))  HT 0-2                         P        GD     Pts   Germany    3    +4    9 France        3    +3    6 Nigeria    3    -1    3 Canada        3    -6    0     Group B details: England 2 (E. White (15), R. Yankey (66)), Japan 0  HT 1-0 Mexico 2 (S. Mayor (2), M. Dominguez (29)), Football Ferns 2 (R. Smith (90), H. Wilkinson (90))  HT 2-0         P    GD    Pts England    3    +3    7 Japan        3    +3    6 Mexico    3    -4    2 Football Ferns 3    -2    1 Group C details: Columbia 0, North Korea 0 USA 1 (A. Wambach (66)), Sweden 2 (L. Dahlkvist (16 pen), N. Fischer (35))  HT 0-2         P    GD    Pts Sweden    3    +3    9 USA        3    +4    6 North Korea    3    -3    1 Columbia    3    -4    1 Group D details: Australia 2 (K. Simon (57, 87)), Norway 1 (E. Thorsnes (56))  HT 0-0 Brazil 3 (Erika (49), Cristiane (53, 90 pen)), Equatorial Guinea 0  HT 0-0         P    GD    Pts Brazil        3    +4    9 Australia    3    +1    6 Norway    3    -3    3 Eq. Guinea    3    -5    0