Record-Setting Crowds at Opening Night of Women's World Cup 🇳🇿🇦🇺

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It’s Thursday, July 20th. Give us four minutes, we give you everything World Cup.

I. THE PEOPLE WANT WOMEN’S FOOTBALL 🏆

The moment we have been waiting for for four long years is now here and like Santa Claus and stress dreams, it arrived in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast. But as we peeled one eye open for that 3 a.m. kickoff, rolling over and flicking on our iPad so as not to wake our partner, while contemplating whether we should pour a beer or a coffee, we were treated to glorious sights.

The host nations playing before record-breaking crowds. New Zealand set out first before a crowd of 42,137 at Eden Park in Auckland, marking the largest crowd ever gathered to watch soccer in the nation. And immediately after it was Australia’s Matildas marching out in front of around 75,000. Images beamed out across the world that prove the life truth: THE PEOPLE WANT WOMEN’S FOOTBALL.

In the words of Rog: “One of greatest legacies of this tournament will be end of knee-jerk hottake: ‘No One Cares about Women's Soccer.’ Suck it, Haters.”

II. Kiwis Deliver Upset Victory over Norway 🇳🇿🇳🇴

In a match that heavily favored Norway as the victors, New Zealand often held the advantage, and looked like a well-oiled machine playing a side of haphazard individuals.

Hannah Wilkinson’s goal (slotting home the team build-up) made the difference. But Wellington-born right back CJ Bott (Leicester City) may have been the best player on the day, as she both conjured attack from the right flank while stymying the elite likes of Guro Reiten (Chelsea) and emerging talent Julie Blakstad (BK Hacken).

There is perhaps no better way to encapsulate New Zealand’s opening match than with the image of their captain, Ali Riley (Angel City FC), singing the national anthem with exuberant passion at the start of the match, then waltzing about the stadium in a state of overwhelmed joy and tears after they won there.

The 35-year-old LA native has over 150 caps to her name and told reporters following the first ever World Cup victory for the Football Ferns: “We’ve been fighting for this for so long!”

The only thing that put a damper on the joy of an opening day victory, a shooting earlier in the day in Auckland that left two people dead.

III. Sam Kerr-less Australia squeeze by Ireland 🇦🇺 🇮🇪

In Sydney, a celebratory crowd (with no small measure of Irish supporters mixed in) were left with the initial jarring news that their talismanic leader, the back-flipping striker of world renown, Sam Kerr, was injured.

Sam posted a message to her Instagram indicating she’d picked up an injury in training to her calf muscle. According to reports, she’ll miss the second match against Nigeria as well, but return for Australia’s third group stage game against Canada in Melbourne. Sam wrote on her Instagram post that while she wished she could play in the opening match against Ireland, “I can’t wait to be a part of this amazing journey which starts now”.

The Australians looked tepid at times in her stead. They held the advantage of possession throughout the match, but were limited in attack by a defensively formidable Ireland side. Throughout, the most dangerous opportunities for either team came from set pieces, with corners in particular providing the most threatening moments on either end.

A penalty given to Australia made the difference. Sellersville, Pa.’s Marissa Sheva (Washington Spirit) committed the foul that led to the penalty, and was left near inconsolable on the bench after coming out.

Matildas captain Steph Catley (Arsenal) stepped up to take tboth the arm band and the penalty kick to give Australia the lead in the 52nd minute. Catley calmly rocked it to the back left corner with a force equal to the 75k+ fans erupting around her, in a goal that was enough to seal victory for both host nations on their opening day.

IV. UPCOMING: Thursday and Friday’s matches include Canada, USA, Spain & more 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 🇪🇸

🇨🇦 Canada vs. 🇳🇬 Nigeria (10:30 PM EDT, FOX)

The reigning Olympic gold-medalists (Canada) meet the 11-time champions of AFCON in the second match of Group B, following Australia’s victory over Ireland this morning (Or evening, should you happen to be in Sydney).

🇵🇭 Philippines vs. 🇨🇭 Switzerland (1 AM EDT, FS1)

The Philippines meet their first World Cup equipped with 18 US-born women in a test against a UEFA nation desperate to collect three points now that New Zealand has sprung out of the gate with a stunner against presumed Group A leader, Norway.

🇪🇸 Spain vs. 🇨🇷 Costa Rica (330 AM EDT, FS1)

In the wee hours of the morning for east coast observers, one among this tournament’s more formidable foes launch their campaign against fellow CONCACAF-ers Costa Rica, who seek their first World Cup win in their second tournament appearance.

V. 🇺🇸 USA prep for 🇻🇳 Vietnam with a still uncertain lineup (Friday, 9 PM EDT, FOX, Universo, Telemundo, Peacock)

The US Women’s National Team embark on their three-peat journey in Auckland tomorrow evening, where they’re due to meet a debutante Southeast Asian side in Vietnam.

In a state of uncertainty that keeps fans, media and the Group E opposition all guessing, we head toward that first match with major questions lingering in the lineup.

The most pressing questions reside in the midfield. The indispensable creative services of Cincinnati’s finest export since Skyline Chili, Rose Lavelle, will be pivotal to any three-peat glory attempted Down Under. But Lavelle hasn’t seen a professional match since April. And while her readiness is hinted at, it remains unconfirmed.

Beyond Lavelle, Julie Ertz’ earth-crushing presence in the midfield remains unclear too. Ertz made a surprise return to professional football this spring. The extent of her full fitness has been debatable since.

Less pressing, though equally interesting questions surround the exact configuration of forwards that Andonovski trots out. With a roster overflowing with forward talent, and multiple among them able to deputize at striker (Alex Morgan being the only ‘true nine’ he brought), the starting forward line remains up in the air.

MORE: US World Cup predictions including most integral player, most undervalued, biggest threat. READ HERE.

VI. News and Notes

1. Lena Oberdorf and Marina Hegering may miss Germany’s opening match against Morocco due to slight injury. While the report doesn’t seem too severe, Oberdorf in particular is an indispensable element to any German success this summer.

2. Mallory Swanson (tragically injured with a patella tendon tear while in the form of her life this April) is back on the field and getting in her first touches.

3. Henry Bushnell of Yahoo Sports released a fascinating investigation into youth development in US Soccer, and how it may impact the future of the USWNT. Read here: “How the USWNT’s pipeline got fractured by a youth soccer turf war”.

VII. Parting Shots

“Embrace it. It's gonna be wild. It's gonna be crazy. There's gonna be moments when you're like, ‘oh my gosh, what did I sign up for?’ But that's the beauty of it. You know when we are... if and when we're that last team standing at the end, you realize that it was all so worth it.”

• USWNT leftback wonder (and jack of all positional trades) Crystal Dunn shares her advice for teammates entering their first World Cup, a day ahead of their first match with Vietnam. 🇺🇸

FIFA’s SONG OF THE TOURNAMENT, “Do it again” by New Zealand’s own BENEE feat. Aussie Mallrat is a get-stuck-in-your-head worthy tune. It bangs, it slaps and its performers will both be joining us on one of our upcoming Twitch watchalongs. Follow us on Twitch, where we’ll be Live and Dangerous with special guests and Sam Mewis.

USWNT Collection with the GFOPs at Homage ⭐️🇺🇸👕