New Zealand 1-0 Norway: Football Ferns claim historic first Women's World Cup win

August 2024 · 5 minute read

Co-hosts New Zealand opened the 2023 Fifa Women's World Cup in stunning style against Norway as they won on the global stage for the first time.

On a memorable night in Auckland, the Football Ferns produced a huge upset after Hannah Wilkinson swept home Jacqui Hand's cross in front of an ecstatic crowd of 42,137 at Eden Park - a record for a football match in New Zealand.

Even Ria Percival's 89th-minute missed penalty, after a handball by Tuva Hansen, failed to dampen the celebrations.

Fans turned up in their tens of thousands to cheer their side who had failed to win any of their previous 15 World Cup games.

They were rewarded when Wilkinson broke the deadlock in the 48th minute to spark joyous scenes in the stands.

Norway, the 1995 world champions, should have equalised soon after Wilkinson's goal but Arsenal's Frida Maanum poked a glorious chance wide.

New Zealand went toe to toe with their opponents and it required a diving save by Aurora Mikalsen to prevent Ali Riley from doubling the lead.

There was a minute's silence before kick-off for the victims of a deadly shooting in Auckland earlier on Thursday.

World Cup off to a flying start

New Zealand had waited three years for this moment since being named co-hosts with Australia in 2020.

Fifa predict this tournament will be watched by two billion people globally on television and, with the eyes of the world on Eden Park for the opening game, the home crowd lapped up the occasion.

There were emotional scenes as Percival and Riley, who are both appearing at their fifth World Cup, fought back tears during the national anthems.

When play did start after an opening ceremony that ended with a spectacular fireworks display, Mexican Waves broke out in the crowd.

There were screams from the stands each time the home side threatened, while Brighton defender Rebekah Stott received a standing ovation for a wonderfully-timed challenge to deny Ada Hegerberg the opening goal of the tournament.

But it was nothing compared to the noise that greeted Wilkinson's goal.

Wilkinson was the last New Zealand player to score for her country at a World Cup - back in 2015 in Canada.

The home side had to endure ten minutes of stoppage time before they could celebrate an unforgettable night.

Poor Norway fail to deliver

Norway boss Hege Riise said on the eve of the tournament that her team was relishing the challenge of playing in front of a partisan home crowd.

Yet her side failed to deliver and now face a tough match against Switzerland in Hamilton next Tuesday as they look to avoid another early tournament exit after a lacklustre performance.

Riise revealed after the game that the squad had woke up to "helicopters and police outside the team hotel" following the shooting in Auckland.

However, she refused to blame that on her team's under-par display.

"Some players slept through it," added Riise. "It hasn't affected us in how we performed in the game. We didn't get any momentum at all."

At Euro 2022, Norway were embarrassed 8-0 by England and lost to Austria.

They find themselves playing catch-up once again in New Zealand despite the array of individual talent at their disposal.

Norway had 12 attempts, including two in the final few moments, but could not find the net.

On a miserable night, Tuva Hansen had a shot tipped onto the bar by Victoria Esson while Guro Reiten scuffed a late attempt.

Player of the match

WilkinsonHannah Wilkinson

with an average of 8.55

New Zealand

  • Squad number17Player nameWilkinson

    Average rating

    8.55

  • Squad number7Player nameRiley

    Average rating

    8.24

  • Squad number16Player nameHand

    Average rating

    8.18

  • Squad number13Player nameStott

    Average rating

    8.00

  • Squad number4Player nameBott

    Average rating

    7.91

  • Squad number20Player nameRiley

    Average rating

    7.71

  • Squad number14Player nameBowen

    Average rating

    7.59

  • Squad number12Player nameHassett

    Average rating

    7.58

  • Squad number6Player nameSteinmetz

    Average rating

    7.57

  • Squad number2Player namePercival

    Average rating

    7.46

  • Squad number21Player nameEsson

    Average rating

    7.10

  • Squad number3Player nameBunge

    Average rating

    6.92

  • Squad number15Player nameSatchell

    Average rating

    6.81

  • Squad number9Player nameRennie

    Average rating

    6.66

    • Norway

  • Squad number20Player nameHaavi

    Average rating

    4.85

  • Squad number11Player nameReiten

    Average rating

    4.56

  • Squad number23Player nameMikalsen

    Average rating

    4.38

  • Squad number14Player nameHegerberg

    Average rating

    4.29

  • Squad number7Player nameEngen

    Average rating

    4.17

  • Squad number10Player nameGraham Hansen

    Average rating

    4.17

  • Squad number6Player nameMjelde

    Average rating

    4.14

  • Squad number13Player nameBjelde

    Average rating

    3.93

  • Squad number18Player nameMaanum

    Average rating

    3.77

  • Squad number16Player nameHarviken

    Average rating

    3.72

  • Squad number4Player nameHansen

    Average rating

    3.68

  • Squad number17Player nameBlakstad

    Average rating

    3.61

  • Squad number2Player nameSønstevold

    Average rating

    3.36

  • Squad number8Player nameBøe Risa

    Average rating

    3.32

    • Line-ups

    New Zealand

    Formation 4-4-2

    21Esson

    4Bott13Stott14Bowen7Riley

    20Riley2Percival6Steinmetz12Hassett

    16Hand17Wilkinson

    Substitutes

    Norway

    Formation 4-3-3

    23Mikalsen

    13Bjelde6Mjelde16Harviken4Hansen

    7Engen18Maanum11Reiten

    10Graham Hansen14Hegerberg17Blakstad

    Substitutes

    Referee:Yoshimi Yamashita

    Attendance:42,137

    Match Stats

    Live Text

  • Match ends, New Zealand 1, Norway 0.

  • Second Half ends, New Zealand 1, Norway 0.

  • Attempt saved. Ingrid Engen (Norway) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Tuva Hansen.

  • Attempt blocked. Guro Reiten (Norway) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Anja Sønstevold with a cross.

  • Attempt missed. Guro Reiten (Norway) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Ada Hegerberg.

  • Attempt missed. Ada Hegerberg (Norway) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Emilie Haavi with a cross.

  • Offside, New Zealand. Paige Satchell tries a through ball, but Betsy Hassett is caught offside.

  • Substitution, New Zealand. Gabi Rennie replaces Jacqui Hand.

  • Substitution, Norway. Anja Sønstevold replaces Thea Bjelde because of an injury.

  • Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  • Delay in match because of an injury Thea Bjelde (Norway).

  • Foul by Catherine Bott (New Zealand).

  • Emilie Haavi (Norway) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  • Offside, New Zealand. Catherine Bott tries a through ball, but Paige Satchell is caught offside.

  • Foul by Paige Satchell (New Zealand).

  • Emilie Haavi (Norway) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  • Attempt missed. Indiah-Paige Riley (New Zealand) header from the centre of the box misses to the right following a set piece situation.

  • Penalty missed! Still New Zealand 1, Norway 0. Ria Percival (New Zealand) hits the bar with a right footed shot.

  • VAR Decision: Penalty New Zealand.

  • Penalty conceded by Tuva Hansen (Norway) with a hand ball in the penalty area.

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