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FIFA Women’s World Cup: Football Ferns v Norway Where: Eden Park, Auckland When: 7pm Coverage: Live on Sky Sport 1, Prime, Stuff; live updates on Stuff
Football Ferns co-captain Ali Riley is banking on her experience playing against world-class attackers on a weekly basis in the United States as she prepares for one of the toughest assignments of her lengthy international career.
New Zealand take on world No 12 Norway in their opening match of the FIFA Women’s World Cup at Eden Park in Auckland on Thursday – a team spearheaded by Ada Hegerberg, Caroline Graham Hansen and Guro Reiten.
The Football Ferns will have to be on their game defensively if they are to get a positive result.
The key will be shutting down Norway’s superstar frontline and not allowing easy chances for Hegerberg.
The former Ballon d’Or winner is the all-time leading scorer in the history of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, but somewhat incredibly, she’s no longer even considered Norway’s best player.
That tag now sits with Graham Hansen, the wonderful right-winger for current Champions League holders Barcelona who is deadly in 1 v 1 situations.
Stuff
Norway winger Caroline Graham Hansen will be one to watch in their World Cup opener against the Football Ferns.
Graham Hansen starred during Barcelona’s run through to last month’s final in Eindhoven in June, scoring magical individual goals in both semifinal legs against Chelsea to cement her status as one of the world’s best players.
Veteran defender Riley is expected to start at left-back which means she will be tasked with marking Graham Hansen.
The 35-year-old is bracing for a busy night but said she was up for the challenge at her fifth World Cup.
Riley believed her experience playing for Angel City in the National Women’s Soccer League, where she comes up against the likes of Alex Morgan, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman, had readied her for this moment.
Hannah Peters/Getty Images
Ali Riley is co-captaining the Football Ferns alongside Ria Percival at her fifth World Cup.
“What we’re seeing on the world stage now is that there are so many incredible wingers with flair, skill and speed on almost every team now,” Riley said.
“The game is growing now and it’s so exciting that you’re seeing so many different players playing for top clubs now, and Norway obviously has a lot of players playing at some of the world’s top clubs.
“As a fullback, that’s great,” Riley added, sarcastically, “but playing in the NWSL I have an opportunity to go up against, and at training even, top wingers a lot. I’m not saying all the wingers are the same but it is such a key part of the game.
“We know Norway have such a presence in the box with their height, getting in on the receiving ends of crosses so yes, our flanks are very prepared and we’re going to do everything we can to shut down the flank play of Norway.”
Although 1995 champions Norway are blessed with so many attacking weapons, one critique is that their squad is top-heavy and lacks defensive steel, which has hindered their success at recent major tournaments.
Incredibly, Norway lost 8-0 to the eventual winners England and failed to make it out of their group at last year’s Euros.
Graham Hansen said Norway must play as a team rather than rely on their individual qualities in order to reach their true potential.
“Of course we have a lot of quality up front, but we have to do it as a team,” Graham Hansen said.
“We can score goals, but we have to defend our goal as a team and make sure the results go our way every game. We start tomorrow and start counting from there.
“The quality is there but maybe the expectation is also too high because of what we as individuals achieved in our clubs, and it’s not always a given that you can put that straight into the national team.”
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