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After their thrilling tournament-opening win over Norway, New Zealand's Football Ferns have been brought back to Earth with a thud as The Philippines beat the Women's World Cup co-hosts in Wellington.
The Philippines, coached by former Matildas supremo Alen Stajcic, earned their first-ever win in their first berth at the tournament, with Sarina Bolden scoring the Filipinas' first World Cup goal with their first shot on target in the 2023 edition.
Group A was thrown into further disarray when the top-ranked team, Norway, drew 0-0 with Switzerland in the last match of day six, leaving them at the bottom of the table, perhaps rubbing more salt in New Zealand's wounds.
The Football Ferns could have gone to the top of the group and been almost guaranteed their first knockout berth with a victory over The Philippines, sitting 20 spots below them on the FIFA rankings.
From the opening exchanges at a sold-out Wellington Stadium, it was clear The Philippines would not be a pushover and after weathering a slew of attacks from New Zealand, made their first real chance count in the 24th minute.
After a free-kick was headed clear, Sara Eggesvik gathered on the right wing and fired back in a cross for Bolden, who flew between CJ Bott and Rebekah Stott to head towards goalkeeper Victoria Esson, who could not handle the close-range effort.
Bolden wheeled away and was enveloped in utter joy by her teammates and they managed to maintain the advantage.
Sarina Bolden stunned the crowd in Wellington, scoring The Philippines' first ever goal at the Women's World Cup. (Getty Images: FIFA/Maja Hitij)
The Football Ferns brought Olivia Chance and Annalie Longo off the bench at half-time, and Chance in particular created a number of opportunities down the left wing.
Striker Hannah Wilkinson, who scored the winner in the first game, headed one chance just over the crossbar, and five minutes later Chance put Jacqui Hand through on goal only for her first-time shot to hit the left post.
In the 70th minute it appeared those two players, who missed by a couple of centimetres combined, had equalised when Wilkinson latched onto an Ali Riley long ball, turned literally on the byline, and chipped for Hand to head home.
But the video assistant referee chimed in and denied the goal, finding a sliver of Wilkinson's head was past the defensive line as Riley hit her pass.
The celebrations turned to misery.
Substitute Grace Jale almost broke the Filipinas' hearts with an excellent volley in injury time, but was denied by an excellent diving save from goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel, who was named player of the match.
Earlier on day six, Colombia sent the Sydney Football Stadium into raptures with a 2-0 win over South Korea to wrap up the first round of group matches in front of 24,323 fans.
Some huge results today, with the Philippines' first win at a World Cup just adding to an already-chaotic Group A.
Then there was the party atmosphere in Sydney for Colombia's 2-0 win over South Korea, which was a far cry from the dour scenes in rainy Hamilton for the 0-0 draw between Norway and Switzerland.
We'll be back tomorrow, of course, with the first match between Japan and Costa Rica kicking off at 3pm AEST in Dunedin.
Then it's Spain and Zambia at Eden Park, Canada vs Ireland (MATILDAS GROUP ALERT) in Perth.
Until next time, may your cups always be worldly.
FULL-TIME: It's a 0-0 draw between Norway and Switzerland
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New Zealand's Group A is wide open after this draw, with the top-ranked team in the pool, Norway, last after two games.
Norway had 13 shots on goal in that one compared to Switzerland's seven, but Gaelle Thalmann denied them time and again.
The 12th-ranked Norwegians now have one point from two games, while the 46th-ranked Philippines and 26th-ranked New Zealand have a win each, and Switzerland is sitting atop the group with four points.
Norway could also be without veteran striker Ada Hegerberg after she withdrew from this game late with a groin strain, so the 2019 quarterfinalists are at real risk of not making it out of their group this time around and their fate is not in their own hands.
75' Gaelle Thalmann denies Norway again
First she dives to the left to block a long-range shot from Caroline Graham Hansen, then shutting down the effort from a tight angle on the ricochet with a reflex save with her legs.
55' Switzerland's goalkeeper makes a brilliant save
A ball fell from Guro Reiten into the path of Sophie Roman Haug, who's been strong in place of Ada Hegerberg.
Roman Haug played a well-controlled half-volley and Gaelle Thalmann made a superb stop, diving to her left.
Best chance of the match so far.
Norway says Ada Hegerberg has injured her groin
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My Norwegian is a little rusty, but Google translate assures me this tweet says: "Update from national team doctor Trygve Hunemo: Ada Hegerberg got a feeling in the groin on the last sprint during the warm-up."
So that would be contrary to the reports of illness we heard around the traps.
Her withdrawal was so late that she's in the team photo for this match...
Hegerberg is number 14 in the top right.(Getty)
And we thought the Sam Kerr injury news came late.
HALF-TIME: Switzerland and Norway tied 0-0
A very tight contest in constant rain in Hamilton.
The game has probably been on Switzerland's boot, but really there's not much between them.
Conditions definitely playing a part.
7' Norway's desperate defence keeps Swiss out
It took a couple of goalmouth scrambles, but eventually the Norwegians get the ball out of the danger zone.
Huge blow for Norway, with star striker ruled out just before kick-off
Ada Hegerberg was out there warming up but went back to the sheds just before kick-off.(Getty)
Former Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg was named in the starting XI and announced in the broadcast line-ups, but after the anthems she's heading straight back up the tunnel!
Reports coming through that she's ill and won't play tonight.
The veteran of 12 years with the national side and all-time leading goal-scorer in the women's Champions League is out.
The Swiss and Norwegian anthems are done
And here we go for this crucial Group A match, which has even more significance after that Philippines victory.
The rain is falling hard in Hamilton.
Philippines goalkeeper named player of the match
(Getty)
Yeah, probably fair enough.
The Philippines score a stunning 1-0 upset over New Zealand!
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This is a famous victory over the co-hosts for the World Cup debutants, and an absolute cat among the pigeons in Group A.
The Philippines have their first win at their first World Cup with their first goal from their first shot on goal. Ain't that somethin'?
The goal was utter class, with Sarina Bolden rising above two Football Ferns defenders to nod in Sara Eggesvik's pin-point cross, and how they held on after that 24th-minute effort is anyone's guess.
New Zealand had chance after chance, and even found the back of the net in the 70th minute only for VAR to find the tightest of offside calls.
They had other chances, with Hannah Wilkinson heading over the bar and Jacqui Hand hitting the woodwork, and then the injury-time volley from Grace Jale that was expertly kept out by Olivia McDaniel.
The hero for the Philippines.(Getty)
WHAT A SAVE! New Zealand denied again!!
CJ Bott's long cross was perfect for Grace Jale, who looked set for her Tim Cahill moment, but Olivia McDaniel made a spectacular diving save down to her left to maintain the 1-0 lead in the third minute of stoppage time.
(Getty)
Five minutes of injury time
Can New Zealand find something or will Philippines hang on for their first World Cup win?
Hannah Wilkinson misses one more opportunity from a corner, meeting the ball with her head, but not in a position to turn it goal-ward.
87' Philippines finds the back of the net, but she's miles offside
We don't need VAR for this one.
Carleigh Frilles was a good few metres ahead of the defence when the long ball came in and the flag went up. Pretty much everyone stopped.
The pain of VAR
Ecstasy...(Getty)...to agony.(Getty)
70' NEW ZEALAND'S EQUALISER IS DISALLOWED!
VAR was always going to have something to say, because there were fine margins all over the place, and they've said Hannah Wilkinson was offside on her run for Ali Riley's long ball.
It's such a shame because she did brilliantly well after it, shepherding the ball until it was about 90 per cent of the way over the byline, then turning back and chipping perfectly for Jacqui Hand to nod in expertly.
The offside call was VERY tight, but probably right? I don't know. It's hard to tell for sure from the angles we've seen.
Even in the 3D modelling it's basically impossible to see. Must be millimetres in it.
64' HAND HITS THE POST FOR NEW ZEALAND!
Another near miss for the Football Ferns, with Olivia Chance putting an unbelievable through ball into the path of Jacqui Hand, who goes first time from the edge of the box and it just spins into the post, ricocheting straight back to goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel.
New Zealand are creating chances, but they're running out of time as we're into the final third of this match.
57' Filipinas applying the pressure in defence
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With victory within reach, this Philippines side has seemingly upped the ante, applying something of a full-court press in defence.
You can hear Aussie coach Alen Stajcic shouting "GO! GO!" every time a New Zealand player has the ball and a Philippines player is within coo-ee.
It's forcing some rushed decisions from the Ferns, but creating some opportunities in behind the charging defence, so things could open up.
58' Hannah Wilkinson goes oh so close to equalising
The Football Ferns sent their corner way back to CJ Bott, who put in a slightly more north-south cross that was perfectly weighted for Hannah Wilkinson. The run was perfectly timed, but it looked like maybe she was just on the way back down after leaping, and her header snuck over the crossbar.
46' Changes for New Zealand
Annalie Longo and Olivia Chance are coming on for the Football Ferns.
Midfielders Betsy Hassett and Indiah-Paige Riley make way.
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