By NIKOLE JAVIER
A dream cut short.
The Philippine women’s national football team suffered a knockout of a defeat at the hands of world No. 12 Norway, 6-0, in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup on Sunday, July 30, at Eden Park in New Zealand.
The gap in experience and history in the grandest football stage between the Group A contenders was clear as day as the world No. 46 Filipinas failed to replicate their spirited maiden win, 1-0, against tournament co-host New Zealand earlier this week.
It was, however, a dream start for the unexpectedly struggling 1995 winner side as it poured its wrath on the Philippines side after scoring its first three goals of this year’s quadrennial meet within half an hour of the game.
The Norwegians fell 1-0 to the Kiwis in their opening encounter before reaching a stalemate with the Swiss, keeping them at the bottom of the standings with a 0-1-1 (win-loss-draw) record before tackling the then third-running Filipinas.
Despite the absence of Norwegian star striker Ada Hegerberg following a last-minute injury she sustained before the kickoff against Switzerland, there seemed to be no lack of effort from the rest of the heavy favorites.
With the dominant win, Norway earned an outright berth to the Last 16 along with Switzerland which forced New Zealand out of the way with a scoreless draw.
After only six minutes in regulation, the Philippines was already on the brink of a painful exit when Sophia Roman Haug slotted Norway’s first goal in the group fixture and followed it up with another through a header 10 minutes later.
In the 30th-minute, Caroline Graham Hansen tripled the lead after a brilliant strike from outside the box past Filipinas goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel.
As if there was more that could go wrong, Norway was gifted an own goal after Filipinas Alicia Barker slid inside the box to clear the ball which then went into the back of the Philippine net in the 47th-minute, further sinking the debutants into a 0-4 hole.
Not even enough time had passed when the referee called Jaclyn Sawicki for tripping Guro Reiten and a foul was called.
Reiten safely converted the penalty to make it a commanding 5-0 advantage for Norway in the 52nd-minute.
The Nationals were evidently struggling, but soldiered on not to concede more and even created chances for themselves until an extra 11 minutes of torment was added.
Haug scored herself a hat-trick in the fifth minute of the added time with a header which McDaniel just couldn’t get her hands on.
The Philippines is going home from its debut at biggest football showpiece with a 1-2 card.
