BIG BREAK? |Filipinas face Norwegian side missing top striker
Like the rest of the team, Filipinas defender Jessika Cowart insists Norway, which will be missing top player Ada Hegerberg due to injury, doesn’t send shivers down her spine ahead of their crucial FIFA Women’s World Cup match today in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP)
Game Sunday
(EDEN PARK, Auckland)
7 p.m. – Norway vs Philippines (3 p.m. Manila time)
AUCKLAND, New Zealand– Norway's top striker won't be suiting up against the Philippines when the two teams collide in an all-important Group A match Sunday at the Eden Park.
Hege Riise, coach of the team known as the Grasshoppers, made the revelation during a pre-match press conference Saturday.
Ada Hegerberg, winner of the 2018 Ballon d'Or Feminin trophy, won't be match-ready owing to an injury, according to Riise.
Rated No. 12 in the world, the Norwegians have yet to win a match after suffering a 1-0 loss to New Zealand. Against Switzerland, Norway was held to a scoreless draw with the 28-year-old Hegerberg heading back to the dugout due to injury.
"She is not ready for this game. It came too early for her injury, so she is still working to be prepared for the next game," Riise said.
Still, Norway swears they "are prepared for the Philippines."
"After observing their performance in these two games they have played and how they scored goals, our focus is primarily on how we can win and on analyzing what we need to take care of and prepare for," Riise said.
Hegerberg, a six-time UEF Women's Champions League winner for Division 1 Feminine side Lyon, has so far scored 42 goals in 73 games for the national squad.
Filipinas head coach Alen Stajcic is unfazed, saying they treat every game seriously regardless of the opponent.
"We treat the game the same. I don't care if we are playing Norway, I don't care if we are playing America, I don't care if we are playing Myanmar or Hong Kong. We've got so many different challenges in the last 18 months," Stajcic said.