Tianjin, China (My Sportsbook) - China got second-half goals from Jie Li and Caixia Xie to defeat New Zealand, 2-0, on Thursday.

The result, combined with Brazil's 1-0 win over Denmark on Thursday, allows China to advance to the quarterfinals, where they will meet Group C winners Norway on Sunday.

New Zealand, playing in its first World Cup since 1991, heads home after a disappointing 0-3 record, and is also the only team that failed to score a goal in the competition.

China controlled the opening half, with New Zealand never threatening the net.

Despite owning possession throughout the half, China could not crack the scoreboard because of poor finishing and some nice work by New Zealand keeper Jenny Bindon.

Ouying Zhang tested Bindon immediately, forcing a nice diving stop from the keeper in the opening minute with her blast from just outside the box.

Xiaoxu Ma was able to get inside the box behind the defense, but Bindon came off her line and snuffed out the chance with a sliding stop. The rebound found the foot of Han Duan, but with Bindon scrambling to get back in goal, she fired wide of the near post.

The duo continued to pressure Bindon, and Ma got free from two defenders on the left before firing a shot from a tight angle that Bindon blocked away.

Ma once again found herself with the ball inside the area, but she turned a close-range shot wide with five minutes to play in the opening half. Han also could have put China ahead before the break, but she too failed to hit the target from a dangerous position.

It looked like only a matter of time before China found the opening goal, and the breakthrough came in the 57th minute. Gaoping Zhou lofted a free kick into the box from midfield. Bindon came off her line to punch it clear, but Li got her head to the ball first, knocking it into the empty net.

New Zealand showed some signs of life for the first time in the tournament following the goal.

A free kick from the right was knocked down at the back post for Abby Erceg, and although she was standing open just eight yards from goal, stabbed her shot over the net.

Minutes later, a terrible piece of defending by China handed New Zealand substitute Zoe Thompson a one-on-one with the keeper. Li reacted late to a pass that was played back to her, allowing Thompson to cut in front and move in all alone. With keeper Yanru Zhang charging off her line, Thompson slid a shot wide of the left post, wasting a golden opportunity for New Zealand.

China then took over from there with Ma finding Han at the back post with a cross. Han headed the ball on net, but Bindon did well to tip the shot over the crossbar.

Ma slammed a shot off the crossbar from 20 yards one minute later, but the insurance tally was not far off.

A perfect pass from midfield by Tong Zhang found Xie open on the right. She dribbled the ball into the box and cut it back to avoid a defender. Xie then put the finishing touches on the run by sliding a shot past Bindon to secure all three points for China and passage into the quarterfinals.