Football Ferns throw kitchen and sink at Switzerland but fail to progress with Norway from Group A
It's almost game time! ⏳🇨🇭🇳🇿@JimmyConrad, @HeatherOReilly, @MelissaMOrtiz, @AriHingst and @KathrynA_12 give their keys to the match on #WWCNow ⬇️
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By Ed Emeanua
Faith cannot move mountains and New Zealand found that out the hard way at the Forsyth Barr Stadium, Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand in their Group A clash with Switzerland at the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The Football Ferns and 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup co-host, threw both the kitchen and sink at La Nati, but failed to score in the goalless encounter, to crash out from Group A, and leaving Norway and their opponents to progress at the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament.
Aufstellung / Composition / Formazione
🕕 9:00 CET
📺 SRF 2, RTS 2, RSI La 2#natimiteuch #lanatiavecvous #lanaticonvoi pic.twitter.com/rYi47y9cQA— 🇨🇭 Nati (@nati_sfv_asf) July 30, 2023
The Swiss started the game on the front foot, to some early possession, but were slowly pushed back all the way to keeper Thalmann. In the 3rd minute, a long ball forward locates Bachmann who slices inside and propels a shot from range.
Get ready to make some noise Ōtepoti Dunedin 🔊
Here is how we start against Switzerland 🇳🇿🇨🇭#NZL #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/KA5GDfHM98
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New Zealand who shocked the football world in their opening game of the tournament with a historic 1-0 win against Norway controlled the game but found breaking the duck harder than imagined.
Much has to be said of the Swiss resoluteness as their host, buoyed by their vociferous hopeful fans spurred on the Ferns who played so much with hope and determination till the very end.
While the Swiss held firm at their rear in Dunedin, to stretch the game to a scoreless first-half, elsewhere at the Eden Park, the New Zealand national stadium, Norway took a 3-0 first half lead against the Philippines into the break and returned in the second half to score another 3 goals to complete their 6-0 rout over The Philippines.
Starting XI: Line-ups
Norway: Mikalsen, Bjelde, Mjelde, Harviken, Tuva Hansen, Risa, Maanum, Reiten, Haug, Caroline Hansen, Haavi.
Subs: Fiskerstrand, Sonstevold, Horte, Bergsvand, Engen, Saevik, Hegerberg, Eikeland, Blakstad, Lund, Josendal, Pettersen.
Philippines: McDaniel, Cowart, Sawicki, Long, Bolden, Eggesvik, Flanigan, Beard, Barker, Quezada, Guillou
Norway’s goals in the first half-half came off the boots of Sophie Román Haug with a brace in the 6’ and 17’, and Caroline Graham Hansen (31’).
The ball was flicked in and Haug finds the corner with an fantastic strike at a tricky angle in the 6th minute and then with a header in the 17th to take her team to a brisk 2-0 lead early on.
Sophie Roman Haug scores again for Norway with a fine header. Photograph: Abbie Parr/AP
The Philippines began the game brilliantly, troubling the Norway defense but two brilliant moments from Haug stunned and snuffed out their fire.
Graham’s goal in the minute was about enough to kill the game and fetch Norway qualification to the next stage of the tournament.
In the second half, Norway fired ahead with two more early goals from the efforts of Alicia Balicoco Barker (48’) and Guro Reiten (Penalty-kick 53′).
Haug completed her hattrick with a tantalizing goal in the 90+4′ of the encounter. New Zealand became the first host nation in the annals of the competition to crash out at the group stage.
According to FIFA Fact -Check, Graham Hansen’s goal was struck from 29.8 metres out with a scorching speed of 77kmh.
