Co-hosts New Zealand stunned former champions Norway 1-0 in the opening game of the 2026 FIFA women’s World Cup on Thursday.
Hannah Wilkinson was the hero as her strike three minutes into the second-half, earned New Zealand a first-ever win at the senior women’s World Cup.
Wilkinson finished off from close range thanks to a laser-like cross from Jacqui Hand.
New Zealand will face debutants the Philippines on Tuesday in a match that had widely been seen as their best chance of winning in Group A.
Also read: 2023 WWC: Australia Captain Kerr Ruled Out Super Falcons Clash
The second game of the tournament will see co-hosts Australia take on debutant Republic of Ireland in Group B.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons will take on Canada in Group B on Friday at 3:30am (Nigerian time).
3 Comments
Great result for NZ, beating powerhouse Norway. They are serious about doing well at this world cup, so they hired a Czech coach. They have ex internationals and numerous local coaches, so they could have hired their own. But they went for the best coach they could afford. It tuned out that it was a foreigner, so they hired her.
Out of the 32 participating countries, Nigeria may be the only country that is owing coaches salaries and players bonuses. That notwithstanding, based on what has transpired thus far, me thinks Waldrum and company have a chance. The Aussies and the Irish are good sides, and they played well. But nothing indicates that the SF can’t cope with them. If our unpaid coach Waldrum gets his tactics right, me thinks Nigeria is quite capable of qualifying from this group.
But to talk is one thing, to get it done on the pitch is another cup of tea. Over to you unpaid coach coach Waldrum.
Continue on your journey!
Just to reiterate, Nigeria is perhaps the only country at the world cup that is owing coaches and players.
Yet, the expectation is that an unpaid coach should outperform and defeat paid coaches and possibly bring home the trophy. Best wishes as you endeavor to make sense of that!
We are a fantastic people arent we….??
Always wanting to reap where we have no sown, claiming “this is africa, certain things cant work here”…..(no)apologies to Mr Eguavoen