Hannah Wilkinson's second-half goal gave New Zealand a shock 1-0 win over former champions Norway at Eden Park on Thursday as the co-hosts kicked off the Women's World Cup in style by claiming their first ever victory at the global soccer showpiece.
Norway threw players forward in search of an equaliser but the stout Ferns' defence held firm.
The crowd of 42,137 — a record for a football match in New Zealand — let out a deafening roar as the match came to an end, with Ferns coach Jitka Klimkova burying her face in her hands in joy as her players celebrated. The evening kicked off with a dazzling opening ceremony that featured pyrotechnics and honoured the region's Indigenous heritage, though hours earlier a shooting in Auckland left three dead.
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