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Women's World Cup: Hegerberg blow for Norway in must-win clash against upbeat Philippines on Saturday

Coach Alen Stajcic making sure his Filipinas remain grounded and focused on the task on hand

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Team Philippines attends a training session with coach Alen Stajcic in Auckland ahead of their 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup match against Norway on Sunday. - AFP

By AFP

Published: Sat 29 Jul 2023, 1:47 PM

Norway will be without star striker Ada Hegerberg for their must-win Women's World Cup clash with against an upbeat Philippines on Sunday

The former Ballon d'Or winner has not recovered from the groin injury that forced her to pull out of Tuesday's 0-0 draw with Switzerland just before kick-off.

"She is not ready for this game," coach Hege Riise said on Saturday. "It came too early after her injury. She is still working to be ready for the next game."

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The Filipinas are on a high following Tuesday’s 1-0 victory over New Zealand’s Football Ferns in Wellington, prompting the worldwide media attention.

However, coach Alen Stajcic would rather that his players to stay grounded.

“At this point in time, we [will] reflect on what the world thinks of us later on,” Stajcic told Manila-based reporters at Olympic Park.

“We’re making sure that we’re in a good mindset and block all that other stuff and issue. Whether it’s good noise or bad noise, we just don’t need that at the moment,.

“In terms of the group, they are full of confidence, they have some belief and they’ve earned the right to feel like that, being in this position in terms of confidence also with points on the board," the Philippines Equirer reported.

Norway's forward Ada Hegerberg Norway IS injured for final group game. - AFP

Lyon striker Hegerberg, the all-time top scorer in the UEFA Champions League, had lined up for the national anthems just before kick-off against Switzerland.

However, she then promptly headed back to the dressing room, saying later that she had felt a pain in her groin in the warm-up.

Stajcic is calling for his team to say focused and not get carried away by issues Norway has been experiencing.

“I think every team has their issues,” Stajcic said with Norway dealing with Ada Hegerberg’s injury and the aftermath of Caroline Graham Hansen’s public grievance over playing minutes.

“And because they’re maybe publicized, we knew that stuff is a little bit exaggerated,” Stajcic said.

“But they’re wounded animals as well. They would have taken a hit to their pride, they can come out fighting and they’re not [former] champions for no reason."

Without Hegerberg Norway again toiled in front of goal, the goalless draw coming after a 1-0 defeat against co-hosts New Zealand in the tournament's opening game.

That means the 1995 World Cup winners have to beat the Philippines in Auckland just to stand a chance of advancing to the knockout phase from Group A.

That will definitely be enough to progress if Switzerland beat New Zealand at the same time in Dunedin.

However, any other outcome in that game would leave Norway relying on goal difference to go through.

"It is very simple," said Riise. "We need to go out there and attack. We are on the offensive. We were a bit better against Switzerland and we need to be even better tomorrow."

Riise indicated that Caroline Graham Hansen was a contender to return to the starting line-up.

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The Barcelona winger claimed she had been disrespected after being dropped to the bench against the Swiss, exposing disharmony in the Norwegian camp.

"We handled it, that issue is now behind us and we have a match tomorrow in which we all want to do much better," said Riise.

AFP

Published: Sat 29 Jul 2023, 1:47 PM

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