New Zealand women’s football team wins first World Cup team history, looking to the top 16
AUCKLAND (AFP) – New Zealand women’s national soccer team defender Porter said on Sunday they had “set new goals” for themselves after their first ever World Cup victory. As one of the host countries, New Zealand hopes to break into the round of 16 of the Women’s World Cup for the first time.
In the opening game of the Women’s World Cup in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, on July 20, landlord New Zealand, who had played 15 matches in the World Cup but had never won a game, defeated Norway, which had a championship record, 1-0.
New Zealand will next face the Philippines on the 25th. Before they face Switzerland in the final match of the group stage, as long as they win one more victory, they can stand out in Group A and advance to the top 16.
Asked how far New Zealand could go, defender CJ Bott said: “I don’t think there’s a limit”.
“You should never put limits on yourself, the one game against Norway set a new standard for us and we will not lower the standard.”
New Zealand is not a traditional football power, but thanks to striker Hannah Wilkinson’s goal to win the New Zealand women’s football team’s first World Cup victory, they have been in the spotlight like never before.
When New Zealand beat Norway, more than 42,000 fans witnessed history at Eden Park (Eden Park), setting a record for the largest number of people attending a football match in New Zealand.
Porter, 28, added: “I think in a sense we still have a national burden on our shoulders.”
“There’s always a certain amount of pressure, but that also gives us the drive we need and we get a lot of confidence out of it.”
A fire broke out at the hotel where the New Zealand women’s football team was staying last night, forcing them to be evacuated from the central Auckland hotel in chaos.
Local media reported that after the fire broke out, a man was arrested and charged with burglary and arson.
The New Zealand women’s football team believes they were not targeted in the hotel fire and no one on the team was injured.
New Zealand Football Association chief executive Andrew Pragnell said the players had taken refuge in a nearby restaurant and were allowed to return when the situation cleared.
Porter said they waited until the hotel returned to normal and everything was safe before going back.
She added: “We are a team, there is nothing to worry about, everything is back to normal.”
2023-07-23 11:20:03
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