Firing Up the World Cup: New Zealand's Stunning Victory Fires Up the Tournament's Opening Match!

New Zealand, the co-hosts of the Women's World Cup, started the tournament off with a stunning surprise by defeating Norway 1-0. This remarkable win marked their country's first-ever victory at a finals event. Prior to this, neither the men's nor the women's New Zealand teams had achieved success in a World Cup finals. Hannah Wilkinson was responsible for securing this historic victory, scoring a fantastic team goal just three minutes into the second half.

Norway, the winners of the 1995 World Cup, showed a lack of proficiency on the ball, particularly with Arsenal midfielder Frida Maanum missing two significant scoring opportunities in each half. In the closing stages, Tuvan Hansen's potential game-tying goal was stopped by New Zealand goalkeeper Victoria Esson, who expertly deflected a long-range shot onto the crossbar.

New Zealand had an excellent opportunity to secure the victory when they were granted a late penalty by VAR. Referee Yoshimi Yamashita utilized the loudspeaker to inform the 42,137 spectators about the decision, which was made in accordance with new FIFA regulations being tested. Unfortunately, Ferns midfielder Ria Percival struck the crossbar with her penalty kick.

But New Zealand truly owned the evening, captivating a historic record-breaking crowd for a women's football match in their nation. Unwavering and resolute, they withstood a challenging 10 minutes of added time, gracefully launching the Women's World Cup into a splendid start.

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Norway's Frida Maanum reacts after missing a chance

How New Zealand made history

Before the start of the game, there was a moment of silence at Auckland's Eden Park as a mark of respect for the tragic incident earlier in the day, which resulted in the loss of lives of two individuals and the perpetrator.

On the field, the New Zealand team, as co-hosts, displayed great energy and quickly generated an opportunity for striker Wilkinson.

The ball was played forward down the right side of the area, but her heavy touch ruined the angle. Wilkinson attempted a low cross, which was then cleared. However, the clearance only reached Malia Steinmetz, who unfortunately blasted the ball over the goal.

Norway was left frustrated in the first half, as the former World Cup champions managed to create only two notable opportunities. The first chance came to Maanum, who unfortunately blasted the ball over from the edge of the area after some good play down the left by Julie Blakstad.

Ada Hegerberg, a previous Ballon D'Or recipient, found herself denied yet again when Caroline Graham Hansen set her up in the penalty area, only to be thwarted by an exceptional block from Rebekah Stott, preventing what seemed like a surefire goal.

The Norwegian team did not manage to elevate their performance in the early stages of the second half, allowing New Zealand to seize the initiative and quickly take the lead.

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Wilkinson scored after a brilliant team play in Auckland.

An exceptional goal-kick strategy led to Jacqueline Hand being passed the ball on the right side. Taking advantage of the stretched Norway defense, Hand looked up and found Wilkinson in the penalty area, who executed a simple finish to score.

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Norway attempted to counter as Hegerberg swiftly moved down the left side and delivered a cross to Maanum. However, Maanum disappointingly failed to convert the close-range opportunity, sending her shot wide from just a few yards out.

Nevertheless, New Zealand persistently pressed forward, with Indiah-Paige Riley curling a shot towards the top corner. Aurora Mikalsen, however, managed to prevent the goal by tipping the ball over the crossbar, resulting in a corner for New Zealand.

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Ria Percival of New Zealand expresses her reaction after failing to convert a penalty. In another opportunity to secure the game, Percival was on the receiving end of a pass from Wilkinson at the box's edge, but unfortunately, the Tottenham midfielder shot wide.

Norway came tantalizingly close to scoring an equalizer when Hansen skillfully curled a shot towards the goal, only to see it strike the crossbar after a slight touch from New Zealand goalkeeper Esson.

However, Hansen's hope soon turned into disappointment as she found herself with her head in her hands a few minutes later. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) detected a handball by Hansen inside the penalty box, leading referee Yamashita to consult the monitor before announcing her decision to the crowd via the PA system.

Riley: We wanted to bring something positive to Auckland

New Zealand captain Ali Riley, a member of the Football Ferns team that brought home the country's inaugural World Cup twelve years ago, acknowledged that the players were deeply affected by the morning's tragic events in Auckland during the game.

"After the game," stated Riley, "the energy sustained us. Earlier in the morning, a truly tragic incident occurred, and our aim was to generate a positive outcome.

"Our thoughts were with the victims and the first responders, and our objective was to deliver something truly astonishing today."

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New Zealand captain, Ali Riley, was visibly moved as the match ended. She expressed deep gratitude to her teammates and firmly stated that "achieving the impossible" is the goal in propelling women's football to the forefront of the nation's culture.

"I don't have the words to express it - I am incredibly proud," she exclaimed. "We have persevered for a lengthy period to achieve this.

"Our objective was evident - to motivate young girls not only in this vicinity but also globally. Tonight, we have accomplished that, proving that limitless possibilities exist!"

What is the schedule?

Throughout this entire game, we have remained steadfast in our belief, despite the numerous doubters. Our performance exuded confidence and composure. The defending displayed was nothing short of incredible, and the final result surpassed all expectations, resembling the stuff dreams are made of.

The group stage is now underway and spans a span of two weeks, culminating on August 3rd. The top teams from each group, as well as the runners-up, will advance to the round of 16, scheduled to take place from August 5th to August 8th.

The quarter-finals are set to be held on August 11 and 12 in Wellington, Auckland, Brisbane, and Sydney. Following the quarter-finals, the first semi-final will be played in Auckland on August 15, while the other semi-final will take place on August 16 at the Accor Stadium in Sydney. The final is scheduled to be held at the same stadium on August 20.

A third-place play-off will be played the day before the final on August 19 in Brisbane.