A goal from former Sporting striker Hannah Wilkinson, in the 48th minute, sent Auckland’s Eden Park into a frenzy this Thursday, which witnessed the first major upset of the Women’s World Cup, New Zealand’s victory over Norway (1 -0).
The accredited Nordic formation, world champion in 1995, runner-up in 1991 and fourth in 1999 and 2007, was named the clear favourite, but succumbed to the co-hosts and the goal of the player who was ‘lioness’ in the season 2019/2020.
What. A moment! #BeyondGreatness | #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/kZNhtboKpA
– FIFA Women’s World Cup (@FIFAWWC) July 20, 2023
In the end, Wilkinson did justice, as the New Zealanders dominated the game and could have had an even wider result, even missing a penalty in the 89th minute, when Ria Percival hit the crossbar.
After a lot of waste in the first half, the ‘Quiuís’, who had lost all three games of the 2019 World Cup, scored the first goal of the ninth edition of the Women’s World Cup right after the second half opened, after 47 minutes. and 10 seconds.
Hanna Wilkinson, who turned out to be the goalscorer in the only season she played for Sporting, must have scored one of the easiest goals of her career, because it was just a hit, but she was there and didn’t fail, finishing with her right foot. a great move by the co-hosts.
A perfect cross from Jacqui Hand, after a breakaway on the right, was behind the goal that decided the game, which had 42,137 spectators in the stands, the vast majority of New Zealanders, leaving the stadium satisfied.
In Eden Park, in a match led by Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and FIFA President Gianni Infantino were also present.
The ninth edition of the Women’s World Cup, which takes place in Australia and New Zealand, started on Thursday and ends on August 20.
On a day marked by the deaths of three people in the center of New Zealand’s most populous and busiest city, including the 24-year-old striker, the World Cup started as scheduled in a match preceded by the opening ceremony. of the competition.
In just over 10 minutes the show started with a performance by the Maori people, the indigenous people of New Zealand, continued with many young people on the field and concluded with ‘Do it Again’, the official song of the Mundial2023, performed by New Zealand Benee and Australian Mallrat.
This Thursday’s round also features another match, between the league’s other co-hosts, Australia and the Republic of Ireland, who meet in Sydney.
On the other hand, Portugal, one of the eight newcomers, will start on Sunday at 7:30 pm local time (8:30 am in Lisbon) in Dunedin, in the opening game of the E group.
After the duel with the Netherlands, Portugal will also face newcomer Vietnam, in Hamilton, on July 27 at 7:30 PM local time (8:30 AM Lisbon), and close Group E against the United States, the winners of the last two World Cups, in Auckland, on August 1 at 7:00 PM local time (8:00 AM in Lisbon).
The ninth edition of the Women’s World Cup will take place in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20.
Source: DN
