The Football Ferns came into this game with all the pressure in the world on their shoulders as tournament co-hosts in front of their home crowd and especially following the morning’s tragic events in the city, but usual favourites Gresshoppene failed to get into gear on the day, allowing the underdogs to secure their first ever victory in a World Cup Finals.
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Story of the game:
The Kiwis started the game brightly and made it clear from the offset that they were out to make a point, with them managing to test and frustrate the Norwegian back line, though the Scandinavian side would soon follow with chances of their own.
Gresshoppene had their first clear sight of goal on 19 minutes after a good passage of play from Julie Blakstad allowed the ball to fall to Arsenal’s Frida Maanum in the box, but the midfielder would uncharacteristically see her effort fly well over the bar, causing no trouble for Victoria Esson.
The Football Ferns capitalised on Norway’s slow start and at points looked more likely to score, with left-back and captain Ali Riley looking particularly lethal in their build-up play, but this didn’t stop the Norwegians from creating another good opportunity after a link-up between Caroline Graham Hansen and Ada Hegerberg on 36 minutes, but the latter’s effort was well dealt with by defender Rebekah Stott.
A late chance from Wilkinson gave New Zealand some hope at the end of the half, but Thea Bjelde’s block ensured that the sides went in at the break level and with everything to play for in the second 45 minutes.
Gresshoppene began the second-half on the front foot and threatened immediately, but this was quickly undone in the 47th minute after some fantastic build-up play from the Kiwis allowed Jacqueline Hand to provide a superb squared ball for the feet of Wilkinson, whose effort comfortably beat Aurora Mikalsen to put New Zealand ahead in a deserved feel good moment for the co-hosts.
The Football Ferns continued to frustrate Norway at both ends of the pitch and could have been 2-0 up 15 minutes later when Indiah-Paige Riley unleashed a long-range effort that troubled Mikalsen, but was ultimately stopped by the keeper.
New Zealand were at it again on 76 minutes when Wilkinson found herself in a position to lay the ball off to Tottenham Hotspur’s Ria Percival, who hit a powerful shot from outside the box that fizzed just wide of the mark.
The Norwegians weren’t giving up easily however, with Tuva Hansen managing to hit a thunderous shot that looked to have rattled the crossbar, but on further inspection the effort was superbly saved by Esson to keep her side ahead.
Things almost went from bad to worse for Gresshoppene after the ball was adjudged to have struck Hansen’s hand in the box following a VAR check, but the resulting penalty from Percival failed to put the game to bed on 89 minutes, rattling the bar and setting up a tense and long added time period.
Despite probably some of Norway’s best pressure of the game in the last few minutes, the Football Ferns would hold on to secure what will surely be one of the biggest upsets of the tournament over the former world champions, whilst also no doubt becoming one of the proudest days in the history of football in New Zealand.
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Player Of The Match:
An all around great performance from New Zealand makes any player worthy of player of the match, but Hannah Wilkinson’s contributions and the goal itself give her the clearest case for the accolade, with her performance going down as the one that gave the Kiwis the glory on the occasion.
