Norway played herself into a clumsy corner as Switzerland forced the highly regarded team to a barren draw at the FMG Stadium, Waikato in the last of the second round matches of group A on Tuesday morning.
Norway is definitely firing on very low salvo and has a must win against Philippines or she would be out of reckoning.
Switzerland is top of Group A with 4 points, scoring 2 goals and yet to concede a goal. The team may need just a draw against New Zealand to qualify for the knock out stages. Hosts New Zealand are 2nd on the table and the entire country may have to declare a public holiday in their final group game to garner support that galvanizes goals to win.
Philippines may turn out to be king makers if the team can whip Norway in the way hosts New Zealand did. If Philippines now 3rd on the table also with 3 points, scoring one goal and conceding 2 wins, then she may have 6 points and top the group. Norway is uncomfortable at the bottom of the group with only a goalless draw and a defeat earning a point only. The group will depend on permutations and any mistake by any team will be costly.
Earlier today, Philippines sent terrible signals to hosts New Zealand with a lone goal victory in the first match of round 2. New Zealand had shocked Norway in the first group match 1-0 at Eden Park on the 20th July while Switzerland banged Philippines 2-0 on 21st July at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Norway and Switzerland met thrice. On 17th August 2005 Swiss won 2-0; on 11th November 2009 Norway won by a lone goal while on 12th October 2012 both teams played 1-1 draw.
Switzerland is making a second appearance at the party. Their first time out, The Swizz lost in the Round of 16 to hosts Canada in 2015 at Vancouver.
Norway has a better record in 8th appearances of 1991; 1995; 1999; 2003; 2007; 2011; 2015 and 2019 meaning the Norwegians appeared in every competition from 1991.
Norway was runners-up in 1991 when she beat Sweden 4-1 in the Semifinal and lost to USA 1-2 in the final. Norway won at Sweden 95 after pummeling Nigeria’s Super Falcon 8-0 in the group B games winning all matches to top the group where England was 2nd, Canada 3rd and Nigeria 4th. Norway piped USA 1-0 in the semifinal and lashed Germany 2-0 in the finals before a crowd of 17,158 fans in the match handled by Ref Ingrid Jonsson of Sweden.
In 1999, Norway lost to China 0-5 in the semifinal but lost the Bronze Medal to Brazil via penalty shootout after a goalless match 4-5. In 2007, in China, Norway lost to Germany 0-3 in the semifinal and again lost the Bronze medal 1-4 to USA.
The last group A games will be played simultaneously on 30th July between Switzerland and New Zealand at Forsyth Barr Stadium and between Norway and Philippines at Eden Park.
On Wednesday, 26th July Japan will meet Costa Rica in a group C second round match at 6000 hours at Forsyth Barr Stadium. Sane day at 0830 hours it will be the turn of Spain and Zambia also in the second round matches of Group C. Canada will slug it out with Ireland at 1300 hours at the NIB stadium in a group B second round match where Nigeria is to earn her first win.
By Eniola Olatunji
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