Amidst the somber atmosphere of a day tainted by tragedy, the Football Ferns displayed resilience and triumphed on the soccer field. Hannah Wilkinson's early second-half goal proved to be the decisive moment, propelling New Zealand to an astonishing 1-0 upset over Norway on Thursday. This historic victory marked their first-ever win at the Women’s World Cup and provided a glimmer of hope and unity in the face of adversity. The shocking shooting incident in downtown Auckland, which had deeply shaken the host nation, only hours before the match, underscored the significance of the Football Ferns' triumph, bringing a sense of solidarity to a nation grappling with grief.

With increased security measures in place, Eden Park stadium saw a remarkable attendance of 42,137, setting a record for a soccer match in New Zealand. The crowd fervently cheered on the home team, who co-hosted the tournament with Australia. Among the enthusiastic spectators was New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, who, after the game, visited the locker room to personally convey his gratitude to the team for their truly awe-inspiring performance.

Following an opening ceremony that paid tribute to New Zealand's Indigenous heritage, a moment of silence was observed to honor the victims of the shooting incident. The attack resulted in four people being wounded, including a police officer.

Despite participating in five previous World Cups, New Zealand's Football Ferns had yet to secure a victory in any of their matches.

Captain Ali Riley's eyes welled up with tears of joy, she expressed. “We really wanted to inspire young girls across the nation and I think we did that tonight. We showed that anything is possible.”

In the first half, Norway struggled to convert their chances, while the Ferns displayed solid defense. Rebekah Stott made a skillful defensive play to thwart Ada Hegerberg's attempt in the 37th minute, resulting in a goalless score at halftime.

Hegerberg, a true trailblazer and the first woman to claim the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, holds an impressive record of 43 goals in 77 international appearances. Her remarkable tally of 59 goals in the Champions League stands as a record in its own right, and she currently showcases her skills professionally for Lyon. Despite her exceptional abilities, during the match in Auckland, she faced a challenge in finding the back of the net.

Wilkinson took center stage in the early minutes of the second half as Jaqui Hand expertly made her way up the right side and delivered an impeccable cross right to Wilkinson's feet, leading to the game-changing goal. The ecstatic home crowd erupted in jubilation, but Norway's goalkeeper, Aurora Mikalson, displayed remarkable composure, standing with her hands on her hips.

Having secured victory in the 1995 World Cup, Norway faced a quarterfinal defeat against England in the last tournament held in 2019. Adding to their challenges, England dominated the Norwegians with an 8-0 win at the Women's Euro in 2022. As the team prepared for the current game, winger Caroline Graham Hansen viewed the World Cup as a significant opportunity for them.

“We knew exactly how they wanted to play but still, we were so poor, especially in that first half. I’m very disappointed.” According to Norway midfielder Guro Reiten. “(It’s) the opening game, they are the hosts. We have talked about this. We knew they were going to go out there and be aggressive,”

In the 83rd minute, Norway's Tuva Hansen narrowly missed equalizing as her shot hit the crossbar. Then, in the 89th minute, the Football Ferns had a chance to increase their lead, but Ria Percival's penalty attempt hit the post.

The stoppage time lasted for over 10 minutes, and as the final whistle blew, the New Zealand bench stormed onto the field in jubilation, led by a passionate chest-pounding celebration from Captain Ali Riley, mirroring the elation of the electrified fans.

“It’s really hard to put into words, but absolutely surreal, I mean we made history tonight, but we can’t rest on that. Our goal is to get out of the group.” Ferns defender Katie Bowen commented on the long-awaited victory.

Upon learning about the Auckland shooting, Bowen mentioned that her brother called her early in the morning to check if she was safe, which woke her up.
“I think everyone was just pretty taken aback, because this doesn’t really happen in New Zealand, But I think, especially on a game day, down to just each individual doing what they needed to do to process it and make sure they could focus on the game at the same time.”

The first match of the World Cup took place in New Zealand, with the co-host Australia playing against Ireland in Sydney about an hour after the game in Auckland concluded. Although the Norwegians were considered favorites in Group A, boasting a 5-1-1 record against New Zealand historically, their only defeat came in a 2019 exhibition match. Despite the shooting incident occurring near their hotel, Norway coach Hege Riise reassured that her players remained unfazed and unaffected.