New Zealand lead Cameroon 1-0 after 45 minutes of Group E football at the City of Coventry Stadium.
It was Cameroon who started the better and they might have been ahead inside three minutes, but Gabrielle Onguene missed the target from close range.
New Zealand's first real chance of the match fell to Abby Erceg after 18 minutes, while Amber Hearn remained their biggest threat with her direct running.
Chances remained few and far between in the latter stages of the half, with neither side registering a single shot on target in the opening 30 minutes.
The first chance fell to New Zealand and it so nearly brought a goal, but Hearn struck the post before Katie Hoyle was denied by Annette Ngo Ndom.
Adrienne Iven had the final chance of the half for Cameroon, but she was denied by Jenny Bindon.
There was to be one last chance in the opening period for New Zealand, and Rebecca Smith converted to send the Kiwis into a half-time lead.
Matt Law
