New Zealand vs Norway W Preview

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup begins this Thursday with the tournament’s co-hosts New Zealand taking on Norway at Eden Park.

New Zealand come into this tournament looking to make it to the knockout round for the first time after five previous group-stage failures.

They have been put in the same group as Norway, Switzerland and the Philippines so they will feel slightly confident about making it out of this group.

However, one win across their last twelve matches (D2, L9) and just one victory in their last 13 at home (D4, L8) suggests that it could be a struggle.

Their record against Norway does not inspire confidence either with New Zealand winless against Norway in six attempts (D1, L5). However, Jitka Klimková’s side must try to avoid becoming the first host/co-host to lose their opening game since Sweden in 1995.

The visitors enter this tournament looking to add another medal to their 1995 World Cup win.

But while they are not the best team in the tournament this year, they are at least the clear favourites to win this group despite not winning any of their last four matches (D2, L2), three of which saw them trailing inside the opening 20 minutes.

They have won their last seven Women’s World Cup opening games, though. The last three of those came ‘to nil’, and another such performance would go some way to avenging last year’s disappointing group stage exit at the Euros.