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Hannah Wilkinson had already scored goals at two FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments, but she said nothing will ever compare to the feeling of scoring a winner at home in front of a packed crowd.
The Football Ferns are off to a dream start at their home tournament after stunning group A favourites Norway 1-0 to record the country’s first-ever World Cup win – male or female – thanks to Wilkinson’s 48th-minute strike.
Wilkinson had scored in draws against Mexico in 2011 and China in 2015, but she said Thursday’s effort, the first goal scored at the 2023 tournament co-hosted between New Zealand and Australia, was her “biggest by far!”
“It’s better because we won and at home,” the Melbourne City sharpshooter said. “It’s my favourite now.”
Eden Park erupted when Wilkinson slotted the ball past goalkeeper Aurora Mikalsen from close range to give the Football Ferns a deserved lead against the world No 12 after Indiah-Paige Riley released Jacqui Hand down the right.
Phil Walter/Getty Images
Hannah Wilkinson celebrates after scoring the first goal of the World Cup.
Hand charged down the wing and whipped in a pass to Wilkinson, who kept her composure to score with the first shot on target in the match.
The veteran striker said she told herself “this is going on, this is going in” as the ball arrived to her feet.
After seeing the ball crash into the back of the net, she spread her arms wide and then thumped her chest and sprinted off to the corner flag to celebrate with her teammates.
Wilkinson, who was named player of the match, left to a standing ovation from the record crowd of 42,137 when she was subbed off late in the game.
She said it was a night she will never forget.
“Words can’t even describe it, obviously. I’m so proud to be a Fern tonight and I’m just so grateful for all the Kiwis that came out and supported us tonight,” Wilkinson said.
“We really felt all your support. It made all the difference for us.
“You could see it. We were creating chances, we were composed on the ball and defensively strong. I hope we got some Kiwis really excited about women’s football.”
Wilkinson had scored just two goals in her previous 31 appearances for New Zealand, but she said she felt like a different beast playing with the support of a nation behind her.
She said the home support, and the team’s nine-week training camp in the lead-up to the tournament, were key.
“When you have tournaments like this and you have an expectation and a certain pressure and a nation that believes you can do it, it does something different to you.
“Having nine weeks together to really work on things, we knew goal-scoring was something we needed to work on, and we worked on it. We really did.”
Making her goal even more special, it came at a venue where Wilkinson’s mural adorns an outside wall.
The talented artist was commissioned to paint a mural celebrating the three women’s World Cup tournaments New Zealand has hosted over the past 18 months; cricket, rugby and football.
“That is a special connection I have with this stadium. It’s an amazing to have that part of me on the outside of the stadium and scoring inside of it, not many people can say that.”
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