Germany and England proved that timing is key at the women's World Cup, winning matches when it counts to bounce back and top their respective groups with poise, even some bravado.

With its greatest ever player benched due to poor form, Germany didn't miss Birgit Prinz and two first-half headers compensated for some poor second-half defending to give the hosts a 4-2 win over France to top Group A. Celia Okoyino da Mbabi sealed the match with a fine volley late in the game.

The team staved off the threat of early elimination with an equally confidence-boosting 2-0 win over Japan. The victory gave it top spot in Group B and produced a stunning goal, a 21-meter precision lob from Ellen White.

The results pit Germany against Japan in Wolfsburg and England versus France in Leverkusen on Saturday. Groups C and D were to be decided later yesterday with Brazil, Sweden and the United States already through.

The day featured the first red card, the first penalty - even the first floodlights blackout. But more importantly, the biggest benching of the tournament so far.

Prinz is the competition's all-time top scorer with 14 goals and was expected to hit at least one goal in her fifth straight World Cup. After Germany's best performance so far, it is unclear if Prinz's sullen demeanor will light up again for the next two weeks.

After two one-goal wins, Germany was second behind France and badly needed a win, not only to take the group but also to give the team, and a nation of besotted fans, confidence again. Four goals did that, even though a weakness at corners revealed an unexpected blind spot.

Instead of Prinz, it was Inka Grings who inspired the team with two goals.

One came from a penalty after France goalkeeper Berangere Sapowicz was sent off for swiping Fatmire Bajramaj off her feet, the first red card in 10 days of competition.

The score of 3-1 and 11 against 10 should have allowed Germany to coast, but France came back through Laura Georges' header and even came close to equalizing before Celia Okoyino da Mbabi sent the 45,867 fans at the soldout Borussia Park celebrating into the night.

After a lackluster first two games, England was spectacular in its decisive game. After 15 minutes, Sophie Bradley sent a deep ball from her half toward Ellen White, who spotted goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori off her line. She let the ball bounce once before lobbing it over Kaihori with exquisite precision from 21 meters out.

In the 66th, England came up with a second quality goal, when Rachel Unitt shrugged off several Japanese defenders to set up substitute forward Rachel Yankey for a chip.

New Zealand came back with two late goals to draw 2-2 with Mexico. Both were eliminated.

The floodlights that went out in Dresden for 12 minutes. When they came back on, Perpetua Nkwocha gave Nigeria a 1-0 win over Canada in a match between two teams already eliminated.