CANADA enjoyed a comfortable victory over New Zealand to secure their place in the last 16 of the World Cup.

Canada dominated in Grenoble, with record scorer Christine Sinclair hitting the crossbar on 18 minutes.

Jesse Fleming then broke the deadlock just after half-time, before Nichelle Prince ensured Canada maintained their winning start.

The 2015 hosts face Netherlands in their final group game to see who will go through as winners of Group E.

New Zealand, who have never gone beyond the group stage, had only two shots on target and lost right-back Catherine Bott to an early hand injury.

Moments later a Canada corner saw Sinclair head against the woodwork, with Kadeisha Buchanan’s follow-up being scrambled off the line.

Canada, who drew 0-0 with New Zealand in the group stage in 2015 before losing to England in the quarter-finals, had 13 shots in the first half but only two were on target.

Fleming struck within three minutes of the restart, though, as Prince was released down the left wing before cutting back for Fleming to side-foot inside the far post.

Sinclair spurned a chance to double Canada’s lead two minutes later, shooting over from 12 yards, before Prince fired a 20-yard strike straight at Erin Nayler.

The New Zealand goalkeeper produced a fine save to push Prince’s glancing header over the bar on 72 minutes, but Prince was on hand to poke in the rebound after Sinclair headed against the post with 11 minutes left.