Former champions Norway yesterday hit the Philippines for six to squeeze into the FIFA Women’s World Cup last 16, but co-hosts New Zealand bowed out in tears after a goalless stalemate with Switzerland.
Switzerland topped an excruciatingly tight Group A which saw a heartbroken New Zealand team knocked out by virtue of an inferior goal difference compared with Norway.
Norway, the 1995 champions, needed a win and they did it in style, thrashing debutants the Philippines 6-0 at Eden Park in Auckland.
Photo: Reuters
Sophie Roman Haug scored a hat-trick as the Philippines’ fairytale journey came to a shuddering halt.
With Norway well ahead, New Zealand — who were in pole position at the start of the day along with the Swiss to go through — now needed to beat Switzerland in Dunedin.
The hosts had the better of the first half with a string of chances, the pick of which saw forward Jacqui Hand rattle the post on 24 minutes.
Photo: AP
As Norway chalked up the goals in Auckland, the New Zealanders upped the intensity, knowing only a win would be good enough to advance.
The atmosphere among the sell-out crowd grew more heated as both teams pushed for a goal and New Zealand goalkeeper Victoria Esson might have won it with a header from a corner in added time that went wide.
Many of the New Zealand players were in tears as their run ended.
The Football Ferns made history at this tournament by recording their first-ever World Cup win, but they fell agonizingly short in the end.
The second round of games in Group H saw Germany, one of the tournament favorites lose to Colombia in Sydney.
Colombia scored a 97th-minute winner through a Manuela Vanegas header to snatch a dramatic 2-1 victory over Germany and stand on the cusp of the last 16.
Skipper Alexandra Popp thought she had rescued a point for Germany as she held her nerve to score from the spot on 89 minutes, but in an incredible finish to a pulsating clash, Vanegas popped up deep into stoppage time for all three points with a close-range header.
It came after Linda Caicedo scored one of the goals of the tournament in front of 40,000 fans in Sydney near the start of the second half.
Earlier in the same group, Morocco won a Women’s World Cup match for the first time after Ibtissam Jraidi struck early to give them a stunning 1-0 victory over South Korea in Adelaide.
It was also the first time the Atlas Lionesses’ has scored a World Cup goal
Having been thrashed 6-0 by Germany on their World Cup debut, this hard-earned win kept alive Morocco’s unlikely chances of reaching the last 16.
“We are just so glad that our efforts paid off,” Jraidi said. “I would like to dedicate this victory to Morocco and all the Arab nations at large. It was the fruit of our hard work.”
Colombia top of Group H with a perfect six points. Germany and Morocco have three each and all to play for.
Additional reporting by AP
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