Hannah Wilkinson celebrates scoring her team's first goal.

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Women's World Cup 2023 New updates 

For a significant period, achieving a World Cup victory had remained an elusive feat for New Zealand. The Football Ferns had participated in five previous women's tournaments but failed to secure a single win, while the men also struggled to clinch a victory in their two World Cup appearances.

Finally, the long-awaited moment arrived when New Zealand celebrated its very first triumph on home soil, in the presence of over 40,000 enthusiastic fans at the nearly sold-out Eden Park. Despite facing challenges, the team persevered and held on to their lead, even after Ria Percival's penalty miss in the later stages of the game, following a VAR decision

New Zealand's Ria Percival and Ali Riley celebrate their victory.

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I'm incredibly proud of our team's achievement. We've been working hard for this moment for a long time. Our main goal was to inspire young girls both in our country and worldwide, and I believe we accomplished that tonight. This victory proves that anything is possible," said Ali Riley, the emotional captain of the New Zealand team, in an interview with the BBC.

Coach Jitka Klimkova expressed her delight, stating that the win was well-deserved and held immense significance, particularly for the three players who had previously been part of World Cup squads that had not secured any victories, including Riley.

"As a coach, witnessing them with tears of joy, celebrating with their families, friends, and fans, was an incredible moment for me. I will cherish this memory forever," Klimkova shared.

Unfortunately, the World Cup's commencement was overshadowed by a tragic event, a multiple shooting in Auckland's center, just hours before the tournament's opening match. New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins held an urgent press conference to provide details about the attack, confirming that three people, including the gunman, had lost their lives, and several others were injured.

In response to the tragedy, Riley mentioned that the team aimed to bring positivity to the situation. They wanted to dedicate their victory to the victims and the first responders, who made them incredibly proud. Their hope was to contribute something amazing on that particular day.

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Breaking the deadlock

Drawing on the support of their home crowd, New Zealand made a strong start, holding the more favored Norway to a scoreless first half.

The Football Ferns initiated the game's first attack, with Wilkinson breaking free of the Norwegian defense. Norway, however, quickly showcased their offensive capabilities, with their star player, Ada Hegerberg, narrowly missing an ambitious bicycle kick in her first World Cup appearance in eight years. Frida Maanum also had an attempt on goal but skyed her shot under pressure.

 Right after halftime, New Zealand's persistent pressure paid off as Wilkinson scored the opening goal. She clinically finished a well-executed team move that penetrated the Gresshoppene defense.

 After the game, Klimkova spoke to reporters and credited the team's halftime discussion for securing the victory. The team emphasized maintaining consistent performance, ball possession, and defensive organization. They also focused on using their spaces more wisely and efficiently in the second half, which contributed to their success.

Despite New Zealand's lead, the match remained closely contested. Norway struggled to involve their dangerous front three but still managed to create chances. A crucial save by New Zealand's goalkeeper, Victoria Esson, denied Tuva Hansen's powerful long-range effort from finding the back of the net in the 80th minute."

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Norway's Ada Hegerberg reacts after missing a scoring chance.

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Australia emerged triumphant, even in the absence of Kerr

The Women's World Cup co-host, Australia, began their tournament with a 1-0 win against Ireland, as Steph Catley's penalty proved to be the decisive factor between the two teams.

 

Unfortunately, the Matildas had to play without their star striker, Sam Kerr, who is considered the face of this World Cup. Kerr was sidelined due to a calf injury sustained during training, and as a result, she was unavailable for the opening two matches of the tournament.

 Kerr's absence was noticeable as the Matildas struggled to find a cutting edge during the scoreless first half, facing frustration from Ireland's defense. 

However, Australia managed to break the deadlock shortly after halftime when Steph Catley expertly converted a penalty to the delight of the 75,784 fans in the stadium. This attendance set a record for an Australia home match.

Speaking to British broadcaster ITV after the game, Catley expressed her feelings about the victory, saying, "It's hard to put into words, to be honest. It's been such a significant buildup for us. We've had a lot of adrenaline and excitement coming into the game, and we had some moments where we had to work through that."

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Steph Catley's penalty secured a 1-0 victory for Australia over Ireland.

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“Of course, we were missing Sammy [Kerr]. I had discussions with our head coach, Tony Gustavsson, regarding the possibility of me taking a penalty if the chance arose, and I felt ready to step up.”

 

Despite having several promising set-piece opportunities, Ireland was unable to find an equalizer, and as a result, the Matildas secured the victory.