AUCKLAND — Ada Hegerberg, one of the most feared strikers in the world, will not be suiting up for Norway in their crunch Group A clash against the Philippine Women’s National Football Team in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup here.
Hegerberg is currently nursing a reported groin injury, which forced her to be substituted just minutes before the Norwegians’ match against Switzerland. It has been confirmed that she will not be able to play against the Filipinas.
Norway coach Hege Riise expressed, “She is not ready for this game. It came too early after her injury, so she is still working to be prepared for the next game.”
This development is a significant blow for the Norwegians, who have had a rough start to their campaign with two winless matches. They began the tournament with a 1-0 loss to New Zealand, marking the Football Ferns’ first victory in history, and followed it up with a goalless stalemate against Switzerland.
In order to qualify for the next round, they not only need to defeat the Filipinas but also rely on Switzerland to overcome New Zealand.
“We are prepared for the Philippines, and after observing their performance in these two games they have played and how they score goals, our focus is primarily on how we can win and on analyzing what we need to take care of and prepare for,” said Riise.
“Our preparation mainly revolves around how we can score and defend effectively as a team.”
