AUCKLAND: New Zealand beat Norway 1-0 for a first Women’s World Cup win ever and Australia battled past Ireland by the same scoreline on a triumphant opening day for the co-hosts on Thursday.

Both games played out to bumper crowds — the more than 42,000 who witnessed a piece of history at Auckland’s Eden Park was a New Zealand football record crowd, men’s or women’s, while over 75,000 packed Stadium Australia in Sydney.

It was a fitting start to the biggest Women’s World Cup yet — 32 teams will do battle over the next month, up from 24 in France four years ago, and global interest in women’s football is at an all-time high.

It was also a joyous end to a day which started with tragedy when Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, was shaken by a shooting which left three dead and six injured.

The shooting unfolded close to where several teams, including Norway, were staying. A moment of silence was held before kick-off of both matches to remember the victims.

Police said the shooter was among those kil­led and the danger from the incident was over, while New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hip­kins said there was no risk to national security.

After an opening ceremony celebrating traditional Maori culture including the famous Haka war dance, a slick team goal finished off by Hannah Wilkinson at Eden Park was the difference in New Zealand’ victory over Norway, who are former winners of the competition.

The crowd of 42,137 beat the host nation’s previous record for an international football match and it was New Zealand’s first win at the World Cup at the 16th attempt.

“We waited for this moment for such a long time. Hearing our fans behind us was just an unforgettable moment, for me as a coach and for all the players involved,” their coach Jitka Klimkova said.

The margin of victory on a cold, wet and windy evening would even have been greater had Ria Percival not missed a late penalty.

Qualifying for the knockout stages for the first time is now a realistic aim for New Zealand, with Switzerland and minnows the Philippines their other opponents in Group ‘A’.

Authorities deployed extra police and security outside the stadium following the shooting in New Zealand’s largest city.

A statement from football’s governing body FIFA said it was supporting teams in the vicinity of the incident.

A fan park in the city will remain closed on Thursday, organisers said.

“Everyone woke up pretty quickly when the helicopter hovered outside the hotel window and a large number of emergency vehicles arrived - at first we didn’t know what was going on, but eventually there were updates on TV and the local media,” Norway captain Maren Mjelde was quoted as saying by newspaper Verdens Gang.

New Zealand’s tears of joy came just as co-hosts Australia suffered a huge setback with the news that skipper Sam Kerr will miss at least the first two matches with a calf injury.

The Chelsea forward is the country’s all-time leading scorer and the face of the tournament, but had to sit out the Matildas’ opening match against debutants Ireland and will miss the clash with Nigeria next week.

“Unfortunately I sustained a calf injury yesterday in training,” Kerr said in a statement just prior to kickoff. “I wanted to share this with everyone so there is no distraction from what we came here to achieve.”

Australia looked blunt in her absence but a 52nd-minute penalty from stand-in skipper Steph Catley was just enough to beat an Ireland side who refused to go quietly in their first game at a Women’s World Cup.

It ensured three points in a tough Group ‘B’ as the Matildas kick-started their mission to get beyond the quarter-finals for the first time.

Players like Kerr are household names in sport-mad Australia, with tickets for matches involving the home nation selling out months in advance.

“I think that Australians are really realising just how big this event is,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a radio interview with state broadcaster ABC on Thursday.

In New Zealand, whose sporting culture is dominated by rugby union and its famous All Blacks, demand has been lower, with tickets remaining for many fixtures.

Australia were one of the pre-tournament favourites, along with England and several other major European nations.

But Megan Rapinoe’s United States are the favourites to win an unprecedented third consecutive title and a record-extending fifth overall.

They begin their title defence on Saturday against minnows Vietnam in Auckland, with European champions England in action the same day against Haiti in Brisbane.

Spain, another of the favourites, hope to have Alexia Putellas fit for their opener against Costa Rica on Friday, coach Jorge Vilda said, but warned they will have to carefully manage her fitness.

The reigning two-time Ballon d’Or winner only returned to action in April following a serious knee injury and then withdrew 20 minutes into a training session earlier this week.

Also on Friday, Olympic champions Canada face Nigeria with evergreen skipper Christine Sinclair in buoyant mood.

“We were overlooked heading into the Tokyo Olympics and showed what we can do,” said the 40-year-old forward, who has scored an incredible 190 goals in 323 appearances for her country. “We can beat any team in the world.”

World Cup debutants the Philippines face Switzerland in Friday’s other match.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2023