New Zealand W vs Norway W prediction: WORLD: World Cup Women betting tips on match 2023-07-19 07:00.
Co-hosts New Zealand have the honour of opening the 2023 FIFA Womenâs World Cup (WWC) against Norway, and will be hoping a big crowd at Aucklandâs Eden Park can help set them on their way towards the knockouts for the first time following five previous group stage exits. However, one win across their last 12 matches (D2, L9) and just one victory in their last 13 at home (D4, L8) suggests that could be a struggle.
The Football Ferns met Norway in the group stage of the first WWC in China in 1991, losing 4-0, and have only won one subsequent H2H (D1, L5) – making it clear why theyâll start as big outsiders. Although they may have half an eye on more winnable games to come against the Philippines and Switzerland, Jitka KlimkovĂĄâs side must still try to avoid becoming the first host/co-host to lose their opening game since Sweden in 1995.
That tournament was a happy one for Norway as they emerged as champions, yet theyâve never bettered fourth place since, exiting at the quarter-finals in 2019. Theyâre not expected to challenge for overall glory here but are clear favourites to win this group, and thatâs despite not winning any of their last four matches (D2, L2), three of which saw the World Cup ever presents trailing inside the opening 20 minutes!
Expect manager Hege Riise, who was player of the tournament as the Grasshoppers marched to glory in 1995, to therefore urge her side to switch on from the start as they bid to make it eight consecutive WWC opening wins in a row. The last three of those came âto nilâ and another such performance would go some way to avenging last yearâs disappointing group stage exit at the Euros.
Players to watch: New Zealand forward Jacqui Hand plays her football in Scandinavia for Ă land and both of her international strikes opened the scoring, most recently against Vietnam (W 2-0) earlier this month. Norwayâs Ada Hegerberg, who won the Ballon dâOr in 2018, has scored four goals across her last four appearances for club side Lyon, two of them between the 65th and 75th minute.
Hot streak: No team has played more WWC matches without winning one than New Zealandâs 15 (D3, L12).