Canada’s Women’s U-17 Team scored twice in the first half but couldn’t hold out as defending European Champions German roared back in the second half to salvage a 2:2 draw in what was a breathless opening game for both teams in Group B action at the 2014 FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup Costa Rica.

Jessie Fleming converted a free kick in the third minute and Marie Levasseur scored in the 44^th as Canada took a two-goal lead into the half.

But Germany came out fired up in the second half and had Nina Ehegoetz score in the 65th before Kim Fellhauer tied it by heading home a corner kick three minutes later.

Sarah Stratigakis won Canada their early free kick and Fleming perfectly placed her shot as it went over the German wall and into the corner to the right of German goalkeeper Vivien Brandt.

They doubled their advantage right on the stroke of halftime with Fleming getting the play started with another free kick. Brandt couldn’t hold Fleming’s free kick from the right side and after Nadya Gill got a first crack at the rebound, Levasseur was there to loop the ball over a German defender who was on the line.

The Germans aren’t European Champions for nothing and they found their form early in the second half and after Canada held off their early advances, eventually Germany was on the board.

Ehegoetz timed a run perfectly as Saskia Meier floated a ball over the top. Ehegoetz was one-on-one with Canadian goalkeeper Devon Kerr and slotted her chance to give the Germans life.

Just three minutes later the game was level as Fellhauer was first in the air at the near post to head home and suddenly the Germans looked odds on to find the winner.

But Canada stayed strong and created a few chances of their own and hung on for a draw against a very strong team.