Steel Roses 'need time' to fully blossom

China's last-16 loss highlights gap in quality to women's global elite

True to their nickname, China's Steel Roses gave it all they had at the Women's World Cup, but it wasn't enough against technically superior Italy, which advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-0 triumph in Montpellier on Wednesday.

Images of star playmaker Wang Shuang in tears at the full-time whistle left fans in no doubt as to how much wearing the red jersey means to these players.