Chinese Women Soccer Team, the World Cup runners-up beat hosts France 1-0 in a soccer friendly in Orleans, France, March 8.

The Chinese women looked cautious and were pressed hard in the first half by the active French side, which was widely believed a second-rate team in Europe.

But the hosts failed to convert quiet a few chances into goals and the two sides were deadlocked at 0-0 after the first half. China's World Cup heroines Sun Wen, Wen Lirong and Zhao Lihong were substituted into the field after the interval and finally turned the tide around.

Chinese captain Sun lobbed a rebound from the French keeper into the net eight minutes into the second half to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

France, who was forced to step up its defense before the more experienced rivals, could never pose any threat.