FIFA Women's World Cup 2023: Philippines shock co-hosts New Zealand in resilient win
Tournament debutants the Philippines have beaten World Cup co-hosts the Football Ferns in a hard-fought victory this evening (25 July).
Football
The Philippines have pulled off one of the shocks of the tournament so far, handing co-hosts New Zealand an 1-0 defeat at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023.
Sarina Bolden’s towering first-half header was the difference between the two, scoring her nation’s first-ever World Cup goal from their first-ever shot on target.
The Football Ferns thought they had equalised with 20 minutes to go, but Hannah Wilkinson was adjudged to be offside in the build up to Jacqui Hands' goal.
This result has blown Group A wide open, with Norway – who face Switzerland on Tuesday (25 July) – the only nation without points on the board as things stand.
FIFA Women's World Cup 2023: New Zealand 0-1 Philippines
(Sarina Bolden 24')
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - JULY 25: (L-R) Sofia Harrison, Meryll Serrano and Quinley Quezada of Philippines celebrate the team's 1-0 victory in the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group A match between New Zealand and Philippines at Wellington Regional Stadium on July 25, 2023 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
These three points did not come lightly for the Philippines, having to weather the storm of Kiwi dominance from the first minute of the game.
With supporters looking on, the Football Ferns surged forward and threw everything they had at the Filipinas' backline.
Despite their dominance, however, the co-hosts failed to generate any real clear-cut opportunities to test Olivia McDaniel between the sticks.
The Filipinas gradually grew into the game and, in the 23rd minute, completely against the run of play, Sarina Bolden created history.
Having originally threatened from a free-kick, Sara Eggesvik regain possession down the right before whipping a deft ball into the box where a towering Bolden got the better of the defenders to score her nation’s first World Cup goal at their maiden tournament.
Both sides had half-chances before the end of the first 45, with Katie Bowen dragging a shot wide of the mark before clever footwork from Katrina Guillou created space on the edge of the area for a long-range effort, but it flew past the post.
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - JULY 25: Jessika Cowart and Olivia McDaniel of Philippines celebrate the team's 1-0 victory in the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group A match between New Zealand and Philippines at Wellington Regional Stadium on July 25, 2023 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
The co-hosts came into the second half flying, as they looked to work their way back into the game as far as the scoreline stood.
It didn’t take them long to get into the swing of things, with Hannah Wilkinson gifted a golden opportunity to level things early on after the restart: CJ Bott curled in a perfectly weighted ball into the box, with the towering forward beating McDaniel to it but her header could only land on the top of the net.
Second-half substitute Olivia Chance was at the heart of everything New Zealand created in the second half, and provided one of the best passes of the game to set up Hands, but she could only watch on as her effort bounced off the post and into the hands of an alert McDaniel.
With 20 to go, it looked as though the Football Ferns had finally found a way back into the game as Hands finished emphatically. Their joy was short-lived, though, as VAR chalked it off for one of the tightest offside calls we are likely to see throughout the duration of the tournament.
The home side continued to pepper the away goal, but to no avail.
Mere moments from the final whistle, Grace Jale appeared to have snatched a point at the death but for McDaniel’s phenomenal save to push it away.
This result sees the Philippines become the first debuting nation to pick up a win at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.