Philippines’ Sarina Bolden reacts after scoring her crew’s first objective throughout the Women’s World Cup Group A soccer match between New Zealand and the Philippines in Wellington, New Zealand on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AP
With its first objective at its first FIFA Women’s World Cup, the unfavored Philippines achieved its first win Tuesday, surprising host New Zealand 1-0 in a Group A match, made contentious when a possible equaliser was disallowed.
New Zealand achieved its first World Cup win when it upset favoured Norway within the opening match of the event 5 days in the past. For the first time in six World Cups, the Football Ferns went right into a match as favorite, virtually sure with one other win to grow to be the first crew to succeed in the pre-quarters.
But, Sarina Bolden scored the Philippines’ historic match-winner from its first shot on objective within the 24th minute, flipping the script and silencing a packed stadium of 33,000 principally newly-minted Kiwi soccer followers.
New Zealand had been ascendant within the first 20 minutes, taking part in with confidence which mirrored its expectation that this may be its greatest shot at profitable within the group stage. It had 80% of possession, 74 accomplished passes to 11, 5 early pictures on objective and it appeared inevitable the targets would come which might carry into the following spherical for the first time.
New Zealand keeper Vic Esson had nothing to do till the 20th minute when she needed to come ahead to punch away a threatening free kick. Suddenly, there was panic, even disarray, within the New Zealand defence.
Four minutes later, and from one other free kick which brought on chaos within the New Zealand goalmouth, the clearance was ineffective and Sara Eggesvik despatched the ball again in for Bolden, who leapt excessive to move the ball dwelling.
There was a second of shocked silence and instantly the Philippines supporters discovered full voice.
For the remainder of the first half, the match was extra aggressive as New Zealand tried to regroup and rally. It had a handful of wasted possibilities earlier than halftime.
New Zealand threw every thing at the Philippines within the second half however to no avail. The second of rivalry got here within the 68th when Jacqui Hand, who had been denied by the publish 4 minutes earlier, headed dwelling what appeared to be the equalising objective from Hannah Wilkinson’s cross.
The New Zealanders had been in full celebration till the referee dominated that Wilkinson had been offside. The determination was shut: Wilkinson’s arm and a part of her shoulder had been offside, however that was sufficient.
Wilkinson had possibilities within the first half and one other within the second when she headed over the bar from CJ Bott’s cross. But, she wasn’t capable of recapture the shape she confirmed as New Zealand’s scorer in opposition to Norway.
Spots within the subsequent stage will probably be on the road when New Zealand performs Switzerland in Dunedin and the Philippines performs Norway in Auckland on Sunday.