New Zealand vs Norway score, result and highlights as hosts win Women's World Cup 2023 opener

Dominic Booth

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New Zealand vs Norway score, result and highlights as hosts win Women's World Cup 2023 opener image

New Zealand secured their first ever win at a Women's World Cup — in their first ever game as co-hosts.

Hannah Wilkinson's strike ensured the host nation got up and running with a victory in this tournament, deservedly seeing off an under-par Norway outfit, despite Ria Percival missing a late penalty.

The Football Ferns, roared on by a record home crowd at Eden Park in Auckland, were desperate to chalk up their first victory at a Women's World Cup. And they started positively, carving out half-chances for Malia Steinmetz and Indiah-Paige Riley, largely dominating the first half without overly threatening the Norwegian goal.

Their dominance took its toll not long after the half-time break, though, as Jacqui Hand broke rapidly down the right flank and fed Wilkinson to score emphatically with a first-time finish.

The goal sparked wild scenes of celebration by the 42,000 home supporters and was nearly followed by a quickfire second, with Riley's left-footed rocket almost doubling the lead only for Aurora Mikalsen to tip it wide.

Wilkinson was a menace throughout and almost created a goal for Percival, who drilled just wide from 15 yards.

Norway were off-colour for the majority of the contest but struck the crossbar late on through Tuva Hansen's snapshot. The bar at the other end was also rattled after Hansen was penalised for a handball in the box — spotted by VAR — with Percival's effort rebounding off the woodwork.

New Zealand were able to see out the win, which was their first in 16 attempts at Women's World Cups.

The Sporting News provided all the updates as the game unfolded.

MORE: New Zealand vs Norway prediction, odds & betting tips

New Zealand vs Norway final score

  1st Half 2nd Half Result Goalscorers
New Zealand 0 1 1 Wilkinson
Norway 0 0 0 —

New Zealand vs Norway score, highlights, updates

FULL TIME: New Zealand 1-0 Norway. WHAT A DAY FOR NEW ZEALAND WOMEN'S FOOTBALL!

They've kicked off their home World Cup with their first ever victory at the tournament, in their 16th attempt. Hannah Wilkinson's goal is enough for the points and, thankfully for the hosts, Ria Percival's late missed penalty isn't decisive. They have deserved the win.

98 mins: Norway have a lot of height and their only plan to grab a leveller seems to be to lump long balls into the box. It's not really working, as Reiten scuffs pretty harmlessly wide. The final whistle is close.

95 mins: This is going to be a nervy finish to the game for New Zealand; they'll hope not to rue that Percival penalty miss. Hand is the latest to be replaced, Rennie replacing her, as Norway send a cross onto the roof of Esson's net.

92 mins: We're into NINE added minutes. Yes, you read that right.

90 mins: MISSED! It remains 1-0 New Zealand as Ria Percival cannot convert the penalty beyond Mikalsen! She's rattled the crossbar and fails to put the game beyond doubt.

88 mins: Another VAR check for a possible Norwegian handball by Hansen... and this one looks a little more convincing. Was it inside the box?

The referee is having a look – and it's a New Zealand penalty!

85 mins: New Zealand appear to be tiring. Wilkinson isn't holding the ball up as well as previously, and the white shirts of Norway are suddenly looking energised. All hands to the pump for the hosts' defence now.

Haavi is booked for a foul, while Riley and Wilkinson are both replaced for New Zealand. Satchell comes on.

82 mins: Off the crossbar! Out of nothing, Tuva Hansen cannons a long-range effort onto the woodwork, although the goalkeeper Esson might have got a vital touch on that, too.

80 mins: The crowd is up beyond the 42,000 mark, according to the commentators, which is a record for ANY football match in New Zealand, male or female.

76 mins: Into the final quarter of an hour, plus added time. Any danger of Norway turning up? Percival drills just wide from a great cutback by Wilkinson. It should be more than 1-0.

73 mins: Yet more joy for New Zealand in the channels behind the Norwegian defence; this time it's Percival darting into that half-space. Wilkinson continues to be a menace, as well, with multiple corners for the Football Ferns too.

Mikalsen comes to collect it but misses... she's bailed out by her defenders. Boe Risa is introduced for Norway.

70 mins: A couple of changes for the Football Ferns, one of them seeing Bunge replacing Stott in defence. Can they see out this game?

67 mins: You'd presume Norway would be making all the running in search of an equaliser, but they're still relying on counter-attacks. Haavi's cross from the left is rushed, and poor.

63 mins: Paige Riley puts her hands to her head after cutting in on her left and bending a terrific shot at goal, which forces Mikalsen into a solid save, tipping it wide. Another corner for NZ.

61 mins: Finally, Norway are flickering into life – but it's become a far more open game since the Wilkinson goal. Cliche alert... the next goal will be absolutely vital.

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58 mins: New Zealand have played more Women's World Cup matches without winning than any other country in the tournament’s history (P15; D3, L12).

Are the Football Ferns about to make history today by breaking that run?

55 mins: Harviken is living dangerously, with a challenge on Hand that sparks more penalty appeals. Not enough contact there.

Norway make a change with Blakstad replaced by Haavi.

53 mins: The referee is consulting VAR for a possible New Zealand penalty. The allegation was a handball by Norway's Harviken but nothing given in the end, which is the right call. It would have been very harsh.

50 mins: It really was a goal worthy of opening this tournament and how this home crowd enjoyed it. The Football Ferns now have a corner as they look to build on Wilkinson's strike. They cannot quite work the opening this time.

48 mins: GOAL! 1-0 New Zealand! Brilliant stuff, it's a rapid break down the right and Wilkinson with the first time passed finish to spark wild celebrations at Eden Park. They've deserved that.

47 mins: A bit better from Norway, with Reiten finding space on the left and then Maanum just mistiming her header at the backpost following a ball in from deep.

SECOND HALF: Right, back under way. Can the real Norway show up in the second half, or will we see more of the same from the hosts? Let's find out.

HALF TIME: No stoppage time, so that ends a half in which New Zealand have seriously impressed. They've lacked a clinical touch to get the goal they've deserved, but Norway have some major thinking to do at the break.

An entertaining, albeit goalles half of football to get this Women's World Cup under way.

44 mins: Some fluent football again from the host nation and it almost falls for Wilkinson to prod home. The door is belatedly shut on the Football Ferns' striker, but they'll have a corner. Can they find an opening before half-time?

41 mins: New Zealand are finishing the half as they started it... on top, searching for a breakthrough.

39 mins: Bar that one opening there's not been much to cheer from Norwegian perspective. There's plenty of time for that to change, of course.

37 mins: Absolutely brilliant run from Graham Hansen, dancing down the right flank and speeding past a couple of defenders. She plays the right ball across to Hegerberg but the challenge from Stott is inch-perfect in the box. Norway's best moment, that.

33 mins: Mikalsen makes a decent aerial catch to take the sting off a New Zealand set-piece; the host nation haven't made the most of their dead ball opportunities. Riley then steps in from left-back to deny a promising Norwegian break.

31 mins: Norway are relying on the long ball up towards Hegerberg – and it's not really sticking to her, as things stand. Chances still few and far between, in truth.

27 mins: The cry of excitement every time New Zealand venture forward is more than audible. This crowd are getting behind their side.

They sense that Norway are off-colour, at the moment. Their star players haven't really showed up... yet.

24 mins: It's all got rather scrappy in the last few minutes, with the Japanese referee stepping in and calming some players down. Combative stuff.

20 mins: A first proper chance for Norway, which comes via Blakstad's cross from the left. It falls Maanum who fires off-target.

18 mins: Panic stations once again in the Norway defence after Bott's cross from the right. But they quickly break through Reiten, before Graham Hansen wins a corner at the other end.

16 mins: Free-kick in a decent spot for New Zealand, and it's whipped into the box by Bowen and not particularly well dealt with by Blakstad for Norway. Now a corner, which doesn't yield anything this time.

13 mins: Wilkinson once again uses her strength to get in behind the Norway defence. The European side are looking a little vulnerable – they're just about keeping the hosts at arm's length here.

10 mins: It's fair to say the Football Ferns have made the better of the opening 10 minutes, roared on by a healthy home crowd. CJ Bott has been particularly impressive stepping out of defence.

7 mins: Chaos in the New Zealand defence after Hegerberg chases a lost cause and squares it into the box, where the goalkeeper Esson looks flustered in trying to deal with it. Scrambled away in the end.

5 mins: There's no doubt Norway have some star quality, especially up front in the shape of Ada Hegerberg, and with the likes of Engen and Reiten – the Chelsea star – in midfield. They're being stifled so far, though.

Hannah Wilkinson is played through for New Zealand but runs out of space, before cutting back. It eventually falls for Steinmetz who shoots over from distance.

2 mins: It's a bright start from the host nation, with Indiah-Paige Riley winning possession high up the pitch in the opening minute. Battling stuff from New Zealand.

KICK OFF: After the national anthems and a minute's silence for the tragic events that took place in Auckland this morning, the Women's World Cup 2023 is now under way.

A record crowd are watching the Football Ferns in this one against Norway, so can they cause an upset to begin the tournament? We'll find out now.

15 mins to KO: It's almost time for the talking to stop. New Zealand have never won a game at the Women's World Cup – can they buck that trend in their first match as hosts? Norway are strong favourites, having reached the quarterfinals in the last tournament.

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35 mins to KO: Before kickoff, we'll have the official World Cup 2023 opening ceremony, to take place under fairly leaden skies in Auckland. Let's see what the tournament organisers have in store for us.

While we're waiting, why not check out our article on all the best kits at this Women's World Cup 2023 – in which we rank New Zealand's No.1.

50 mins to KO: The teamsheets have been revealed ahead of kick off and here's how the two teams line up...

New Zealand: Esson (GK) – Bott, Stott, Bowen, A. Riley – Hassett, Percival – Steinmetz – I.P. Riley, Wilkinson, Hand

Norway: Mikalsen (GK) – Bjelde, Mjelde, Harviken, Hansen – Maanum, Engen, Reiten – Graham Hansen, Hegerberg, Blakstad

1 hour 10 mins to KO: We're about an hour away from the start of this match, so why not take a look at our pick for five of the top breakout stars at these finals?

1 hour 30 mins to KO: The start of the tournament should be a celebration, but tragedy struck Auckland in the hours leading up to kickoff. A shooting in Auckland has left two people dead, along with the perpetrator, and six injured. FIFA has been in contact with New Zealand authorities and a decision on when to open the fan park for today's match is due to be confirmed soon. The match itself "will proceed as planned".

2 hours to KO: The Women's World Cup is finally here! Co-hosts New Zealand face a stern test to start proceedings against a Norway side fancied by many to go deep into this tournament.

New Zealand vs Norway confirmed lineups, team news

New Zealand head coach Jitka Klimkova will look to utilise the experience of veteran players like Ali Riley, Ria Percival and Betsy Hassett in the opening match and throughout the tournament, though some youngsters have grabbed attention in recent months.

Forward Indiah-Paige Riley was hugely impressive in her side's 2-0 warm-up win over Vietnam and has done enough to earn herself a start on opening night in Auckland.

New Zealand confirmed starting lineup (4-3-3): Esson (GK) – Bott, Stott, Bowen, A. Riley – Hassett, Percival – Steinmetz – I.P. Riley, Wilkinson, Hand

Norway were one of the few teams in the world that did not take part in warm-up matches before the World Cup, with their last friendlies coming back in April.

Star attackers Caroline Graham Hansen and Ada Hegerberg will be the key attacking threats New Zealand will need to neutralise, while the midfield is also stacked with quality players with the likes of Guro Reiten, Frida Maanum and Ingrid Syrstad Engen.

Norway confirmed starting lineup (4-3-3): Mikalsen (GK) – Bjelde, Mjelde, Harviken, Graham Hansen – Maanum, Engen, Reiten – Graham Hansen, Hegerberg, Blakstad

New Zealand vs Norway kickoff time

The opening match of the Women's World Cup will begin at 7 p.m. local time at Eden Park, Auckland.

  • Date: Thursday July 20
  • Time: 7 p.m. NZST (3 a.m. ET)

The match will be preceded by the opening ceremony of the tournament, which will take place roughly 90 minutes before kickoff.

Here is the kickoff time for the opening match in other timezones around the world:

Region Date Time
USA Thurs, July 20 3 a.m. ET
Canada Thurs, July 20 3 a.m. ET
UK Thurs, July 20 8 a.m. BST
India Thurs, July 20 12:30 p.m. IST
Australia Thurs, July 20 5 p.m. AEST
New Zealand Thurs, July 20 7 p.m. NZST
Singapore Thurs, July 20 3 p.m. SGT
Malaysia Thurs, July 20 3 p.m. MYT
Hong Kong Thurs, July 20 3 p.m. HKT

MORE: New Zealand final 23-player World Cup squad

New Zealand vs Norway live stream, TV channel

With the opening match of the Women's World Cup being one of the most keenly anticipated matches for the entire tournament, it is set to be shown around the world by many broadcasters.

In some countries, such as New Zealand, Australia and the UK, the match will be shown on free-to-air television, ensuring it will be accessible to a large segment of football fans around the world.

  TV channel Streaming
USA Fox, Telemundo Fubo, Peacock,
Telemundo Deportes site/app,
Fox Sports site/app
Canada TSN1, TSN4, TSN5 TSN+, RDS site/app
UK BBC One BBC iPlayer,
BBC website
Australia Seven Optus Sport, 7plus
New Zealand Sky Sport 1 Prime TV, Sky Go,
Sky Sport NOW
India DD Sports Channel Fancode
Hong Kong Now TV Viu
Singapore Singtel TV StarHub TV+,
Singtel TV GO,
CAST, MeWatch

Dominic Booth

Dominic Booth Photo

Dominic joined the Sporting News in November 2022, initially working on our World Cup coverage as a freelance sub editor. He was previously a sport content editor and Man United writer at the Manchester Evening News and is a regular at both Old Traffords, football and cricket.