25-7-2023 (WELLINGTON) In a remarkable upset, the Philippines claimed their first-ever victory at a World Cup on Tuesday, stunning co-hosts New Zealand with a 1-0 win, thanks to Sarina Bolden’s first-half header.
New Zealand, riding high from their previous 1-0 win over Norway, created numerous chances in the second half, even having a goal disallowed, but the resilient Philippines held on to secure a famous win in front of a crowd of 32,357 in Wellington.
For the Philippines, it marked a historic moment, as they achieved their first-ever win in either a men’s or women’s World Cup, shaking up Group A and leaving the competition wide open.
Overwhelmed with emotion, midfielder Sara Eggesvik exclaimed, “I can’t believe what we have achieved. It shows that it’s possible to do something big.”
On the losing side, New Zealand’s Czech coach Jitka Klimkova expressed heartbreak, stating, “We played to win, and it didn’t go our way. We were fighting until the end, but it wasn’t enough.”
Ahead of the match in Wellington, Philippines coach Alen Stajcic had boldly declared that they wanted to “crash the party” against New Zealand’s Football Ferns, who were riding high after their opening win against Norway.
The underdogs from the Philippines, who suffered a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland in their World Cup debut, proved true to their words. They scored the decisive goal in the 24th minute, stunning the home crowd.
After New Zealand conceded a free-kick, Sarina Bolden out-jumped the defense and headed the ball towards the home goalkeeper Victoria Esson. Esson’s attempted parry went awry, and the ball looped over her into the net, leaving the crowd in shock.
The Philippines displayed a stronger performance compared to their opening defeat to Switzerland, despite being ranked 46th in the world, 20 places below New Zealand.
In contrast, New Zealand struggled to showcase the self-confidence that led them to victory over Norway, ending their 15-game winless streak.
The score could have been 2-0 in favor of the Philippines at halftime if Katrina Guillou had managed to keep her shot on target just before the break.
During the second half, New Zealand’s Czech head coach Jitka Klimkova brought in Celtic midfielder Olivia Chance and veteran Annalie Longo, leading to several scoring opportunities for the Football Ferns.
Hannah Wilkinson came agonizingly close to equalizing with her header just clearing the bar. Her forward partner, Jacqui Hand, struck the post with her shot, and later had a headed goal disallowed due to the ball going out of play in the build-up.
Despite New Zealand’s desperate push for an equalizer, they were unable to break through the resolute defense of the Philippines, resulting in a historic and memorable victory for the Filipino side.
