Women’s World Cup Daily: New Zealand’s historic win, Kerr hurt, more

The 2023 Women’s World Cup started Thursday and issues are off to an ideal begin.

These each day recordsdata will provide you with the most recent reporting from across the 2023 World Cup in addition to betting strains, what to look at for info and greatest reads. Check in with ESPN all through the match as we deliver you the most recent from Australia and New Zealand.

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THE LEAD: New Zealand off to a historic profitable begin

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — In a match that promised to ship surprises, it did simply that within the very first match as New Zealand, after 15 failed makes an attempt, received a World Cup sport. It was a second they’d been dreaming of ever since they first stepped onto the pitch towards Denmark in Guangzhou on the maiden World Cup, 32 years in the past, and their 1-0 victory over Norway was absolutely deserved.

Heading into the World Cup being co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia, all the main focus was on the Aussies and their upward trajectory below Tony Gustavsson. Despite making progress below Jitka Klimková, they’d but to indicate their strengths because of key accidents.

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Opening the match at Eden Park, the religious house of Kiwi sport, added an additional stage of pressure because the gamers took to the pitch. The first half confirmed the gamers have been feeling it, too, because the Ferns, for all their starvation and struggle, constantly struggled to take benefit. The second half, nevertheless, introduced concerning the tonic for the host when three minutes after the restart, Jacqui Hand discovered Hannah Wilkinson with a neat cross for the striker to transform.

For all of the patchy outcomes heading into the World Cup, it was clear Klimková had a plan in place and wasn’t afraid to make tactical tweaks even when these adjustments did not fairly work. Norway, in the meantime, seemed like a group of people somewhat than a staff and did not make their general high quality depend.

It was the proper finish to an emotional day. The opening ceremony paid homage to the Māori roots that reach by means of each day life in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Fans have been handled to a exhibiting of friendship from the 2 “tribes” assembly on the pitch, with the 2 “chiefs” urgent their foreheads collectively and touching the guidelines of their noses twice.

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It was a present of togetherness and reminder of how soccer can attain out internationally and convey folks collectively. And on a day within the largest metropolis in New Zealand was rocked by a taking pictures in the course of the Central Business District, that togetherness and pleasure shone by means of. — Sophie Lawson

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NEWS OF THE DAY

• Trouble for hosts Australia as Sam Kerr is out with a calf harm sustained throughout coaching. The harm will trigger her to overlook not less than the primary two group video games.

• Thursday’s opening sport additionally introduced soccer’s first-ever VAR in-game announcement.

• The opening day of the Women’s World Cup started with a taking pictures in downtown Auckland that left three folks, together with the gunman, lifeless. “I want to reiterate that there is no wider national security threat,” New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins stated. “This appears to be the action of one individual.” Said U.S. ahead Lynn Williams, “Unfortunately, I feel like in the U.S. we’ve dealt with this far too many times, but there was definitely a sense of, like, ‘let’s come together, we still have a job to do,’ but also recognizing that there were lives lost and that is very real and very devastating.”

• She hasn’t performed a full 90 minutes since tearing her ACL over a yr in the past, however Spain and Barcelona star Alexia Putellas have been handed match for Spain’s Women’s World Cup opener vs. Costa Rica.

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TODAY IN THE USWNT CAMP

“The USWNT takes a decidedly different approach to World Cup prep. The helping hand — or in this case, voice — will aid in getting everyone to the top of the mountain. For that reason, a significant amount of knowledge transfer from the veterans to the World Cup rookies takes place, the better to make sure the entire group is as well-versed as possible on what’s ahead. And when you have veterans like Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe in the group, it behooves the newcomers to listen.”

— Jeff Carlisle stories on how the 9 veterans within the U.S. squad are serving to the 14 debutantes get snug on the World Cup.

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SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

Australia navigate Kerr harm, decide up win over Ireland

SYDNEY — The Matildas obtained off to a nervous begin to kick off their World Cup marketing campaign and any prematch nerves have been solely intensified when the staff sheet revealed captain Sam Kerr wouldn’t be enjoying. A calf harm will see her sit out the primary two video games of the match, not less than, and in her place, Mary Fowler was elevated to the beginning XI.

The Matildas seemed gradual in possession and weren’t in a position to break down a well-drilled Irish defence. In the top, their win got here right down to a Marissa Sheva shove within the field on Hayley Raso, and stand-in captain Steph Catley stepping as much as drill the penalty into the highest nook.

There have been some heart-in-mouth moments for the Aussie defence within the closing minutes — notably from set items — however they have been in a position to financial institution the three factors and earn a gap sport win on the World Cup for under the second time of their historical past. — Marissa Lordanic

Spain seemingly moved on from Vilda saga

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Spain coach Jorge Vilda was on the centre of a storm final September when 15 gamers made themselves unavailable for choice because of working situations with the nationwide staff and parts of his administration. The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) backed him to proceed within the function, however each media look since noticed seen him quizzed on the difficulty.

Three of the 15 returned to the squad for the World Cup, with Vilda pledging pre-tournament to solely communicate concerning the 23 gamers picked for Australia and New Zealand, not high-profile absentees comparable to Mapi Leon and Patri Guijarro.

His ways, emboldened by the RFEF’s help, seem to have paid off.

On Thursday, the eve of Spain’s opener towards Costa Rica, there was not a point out of the saga that has plagued La Roja for nearly a yr. Instead, reducing a relaxed determine in his pregame information convention, Vilda talked of how far Spain have come since their World Cup debut in 2015. He spoke of how their recognisable type of play raises expectations, how the situations surrounding journey and workers have improved and the way a lot of a lift to the squad an settlement has been that permits moms on the staff to have their youngsters with them.

“We even have a one-month old around the camp,” he stated. “For us, that is an incredible thing.” — Sam Marsden

Hosts get first-ever World Cup win

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — When the the ultimate whistle blew, that is when the celebration actually began. A 1-0 win over Norway is a great distance from profitable a World Cup, however for the Football Ferns and their house followers, it felt a bit like that for a second on Thursday at Eden Park Stadium.

New Zealand has by no means received a Women’s World Cup match, and so they could not have picked a more good second to do it, at house in entrance of their very own followers and report crowd for any soccer occasion within the nation — 42,137 followers — within the opening match of the 2023 match.

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“I’m so proud to be a Fern tonight and I’m so grateful for all the Kiwis who came out to support us tonight,” goal-scorer Hannah Wilkinson stated. She added that the group “made such a difference, honestly. It made all the difference for us and you could see it.”

As “Pump It Up” by Endor pulsated by means of audio system across the stadium afterward, followers bounced in unison and waved scarfs. (A few courageous males waved their shirts, going bare-chested within the windy, chilly night-time temperatures.) When the gamers walked the perimeter of the sector post-match and seemed into the group, it was as if that they had a spell on everybody within the stands — wherever the gamers seemed, the shouts and fist pumps obtained a bit louder and more enthusiastic.

No matter what occurs from right here, they’re going to all the time have this evening. — Caitlin Murray

Canada completely happy to fly below the radar

MELBOURNE/NAARM, Australia — Though arriving in Australia as reigning Olympic champions and ranked seventh on this planet, Canada has considerably surrendered the highlight to group opponents and host-nation Australia in the course of the build-up to the WWC. Their opener towards Nigeria won’t be getting the identical prime-time kickoff or grandiose stage on the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, nevertheless it’s a low-key opening that fits Bev Priestman, Christine Sinclair and the remainder of the Canadian squad simply positive.

“The teams in our group, I think they will see us where they need to see us,” Priestman stated Thursday. “But you read things from around the world and I do think that absolutely this team, the world-class players that we’ve got, some of the greats, aren’t talked about enough.”

Heading into an astounding sixth World Cup — expertise she admits nonetheless would not do a lot to mood any nerves — and having lastly damaged by means of at a serious worldwide match with gold in Tokyo, Sinclair hopes that these profitable vibes are set to turn into a behavior, even when it would take the remainder of the world a little bit of time to catch on.

“Around the world, we’re still overlooked, which is fine by us,” she stated. “We were overlooked heading into Tokyo and we showed the world what we were capable of.” — Joey Lynch

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MATCH PREVIEWS

Group B: Nigeria vs. Canada (Melbourne Rectangular; 12:30 p.m. native / 10:30 p.m. ET [Thursday] / 3:30 a.m. BST)

Odds: Nigeria +850, Draw +400, Canada -340

Both Nigeria and Canada will enter the WWC in peculiar positions, each models possessing the expertise to go deep into the match but additionally going through important off-field distractions.

Nigeria has constantly been the strongest girls’s aspect from Africa and can name upon stars comparable to Barcelona’s Asisat Oshoala, but they’ve additionally been in battle with their federation. Meanwhile Canada are the reigning Olympic champions and real contenders, led by the long-lasting Christine Sinclair. However, they’ve additionally been in a long-standing dispute with Canada Soccer over working situations and remuneration, with a deal nonetheless but to be struck.

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Group B has come to be seen because the hardest of all, which provides Friday’s sport additional impetus: You won’t be capable to safe development with a win, however a loss would symbolize an absolute hammer blow to these possibilities. — Lynch

Group A: Philippines vs. Switzerland (Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin; 5 p.m. native / 1 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. BST)

Odds: Philippines +2300, Draw +600, Switzerland -800

Following the upset within the opening sport of group A, the onus will probably be on Switzerland to swoop in and declare all three factors and lean on their earlier World Cup expertise to take action. But with a coach new in her function, the trail to success is not a straightforward one for the Swiss and up towards a Philippines staff with little to lose and every part to realize, the match could also be much less easy than many expect. — Lawson

Group C: Spain vs. Costa Rica (Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington; 7:30 p.m. native / 3:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. BST)

Odds: Spain -10000, Draw +1600, Costa Rica +5000

Spain will probably be seeking to lay down a marker once they kick off their marketing campaign towards Costa Rica on Friday. Vilda’s aspect are solely showing of their third World Cup and have by no means progressed past the final 16, however they’re among the many favourites because of their depth of expertise. That consists of back-to-back Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, who’s match and able to play after recovering from an ACL harm, and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati.

Despite their plentiful high quality, Costa Rica coach Amelia Valverde says they “don’t fear any Spain player.” She added: “We have prepared well. We know it will be a really difficult game, but we hope to deliver a performance worthy of a World Cup opener.” — Marsden

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FEATURES OF THE DAY

How do you cease Alex Morgan?
The U.S. ahead is seemingly unstoppable on the large stage. We speak to some gamers who’ve needed to defend her up to now about what it is like going toe-to-toe with the goalscoring legend.

USWNT camp report: Rookies leaning on veterans
A whopping 14 U.S. gamers within the squad have by no means performed a World Cup sport earlier than. Lucky for them, there is a wealth of expertise within the squad to assist hold them grounded.

Why are so many Women’s World Cup stars lacking because of torn ACLs?
The checklist of absentees is depressingly lengthy. Why is that this long-term harm a lot more prevalent within the girls’s sport?

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AND FINALLY…

Even earlier than their World Cup opener, host nation Australia had apparently made waves off the pitch for his or her merchandise. Nike confirmed Wednesday that the Australian girls’s staff have bought more official jerseys forward of the 2023 match than the boys’s staff managed across the 2022 World Cup, held in Qatar final November/December.

Ashley Reade, the boss of Nike Pacific, believes a lot of that buzz is right down to their star striker, Chelsea ahead Sam Kerr.

“I think she is one of the biggest athletes in the world already,” Reade stated in The Australian Financial Review. “She would be right up there, without question, as one of the most marketable athletes in the world.”