AUCKLAND, New Zealand − The Football Ferns picked a heck of a time to get their first World Cup win.
Hannah Wilkinson scored in the 48th minute and New Zealand stunned Norway 1-0 to open the 2023 World Cup on Thursday night. The Ferns missed a chance to double the score in the 90th when Ria Percival’s penalty kick banged off the crossbar, but it hardly mattered to the raucous crowd of 42,137, the largest ever to see a soccer game in New Zealand.
“Words can’t even describe, honestly. I’m so proud to be a Fern tonight. So grateful for all the Kiwis that came out and supported us tonight. We really felt your support,” Wilkinson said. “I can’t really describe how special it is. It’s amazing. It really is.”
The fans whistled and cheered throughout the closing minutes of the game, and a roar erupted when time finally expired. Longtime captain Ali Riley screamed, “We did it!” and the team spent several minutes hugging and dancing while the crowd serenaded them. New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins visited the team’s locker room after the game.
“He was very proud. Very proud for this team. He was thankful for the performance that he saw,” coach Jitka Klimkova said. “It was a very nice moment for us to have this kind of guest.”
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It was a jubilant end to a day that began in grief after a fatal shooting in the city’s Central Business District, just steps from the site of the FIFA Fan Festival. Two people were killed and five injured, including a police officer. The 24-year-old gunman, who worked at the building where the shooting occurred, is also dead.
“It’s really sad to happen,” Wilkinson said, “but thankfully we didn’t let that shake us.”
New Zealand hadn’t won a game in its first five World Cup appearances, and few would have expected that streak to end against Norway. The Norwegians are ranked 12th in the world, with one of the game’s top players in Ada Hegerberg. They’ve won one World Cup title, and some were picking them before the tournament to win another. Or at least reach the final.
New Zealand, meanwhile, is ranked 26th, and had scored just one goal or fewer in three of its previous five World Cup appearances. It doesn’t have many opportunities to train together, and often has to travel long distances for games. Even getting a draw against Norway would have been considered a major accomplishment.
But the Ferns took the game to Norway from the start, and they had several chances in the first half.
“It was an opening game we want to play one more time,” Norway coach Hege Riise said. “New Zealand got the momentum in the game, winning the first and second ball, and had the crowd cheering. We were caught a little bit behind so didn’t get any momentum in the game at all.”
Indeed, it seemed only a matter of time before the Ferns broke through. And just after halftime, they did. Sprinting up the right side, Wilkinson tucked in behind the defense and banged in a cross from Jacqui Hand from the center of the box.
“I said this is going in, this is going in, this is going in,” Wilkinson said.
Norway had a chance to equalize in the 81st, but Tuva Hansen hit the crossbar.
“I still have goosebumps,” Klimkova said. “We’ve waited for this moment for such a long, long time. Having this opportunity at home, beating Norway, hearing our fans being behind us, that’s just an unforgettable moment.”
