July 25, (THEWILL) – Norway’s hopes of reaching the Women’s World Cup last 16 hang in the balance after they lost star forward Ada Hegerberg to injury before kickoff and were then held 0-0 by Switzerland, on Tuesday.
Former Ballon d’Or winner Hegerberg had lined up for the national anthems in Hamilton before heading back towards the dressing room, with Sophie Roman Haug coming in as a last-minute replacement. The Norwegian Football Association said Hegerberg had felt a pain in her groin in the last sprint of the warm-up.
Norway lacked inspiration in the final third in the absence of the UEFA Champions League’s all-time top scorer, and they remain without a goal or a win at this World Cup. After losing 1-0 to co-hosts New Zealand in the tournament’s opening game, the 1995 World Cup winners have just one point in Group A. Switzerland are top with four points, one ahead of New Zealand and debutants the Philippines, who beat the co-hosts 1-0 earlier in Wellington.
Norway, therefore, must now win their final group game against the Philippines in Auckland, on Sunday, to stand a chance of advancing to the knockout stage. Switzerland just needs to avoid defeat against New Zealand at the same time in order to reach the last 16.
The withdrawal of Hegerberg, whose career has been blighted by injuries in recent years, just before kick-off was a huge blow to Norway. It was also a disappointment for the 10,769 fans, who showed up on a cold, wet and miserable night on New Zealand’s North Island.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
