Soccer Football - Women's World Cup - Group A - Norway v Nigeria - Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims, France - June 8, 2019 Norway's Guro Reiten celebrates scoring their first goal as Nigeria's Tochukwu Oluehi and team mates look dejected REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
REIMS, France (Reuters) - Ada Hegerberg was not needed as Norway kicked off their women's World Cup Group A campaign with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Nigeria on Saturday.
Without Ballon d'Or winner Hegerberg, who quit international football in 2017 due to a dispute with her home federation, the 1995 champions relied on goals by Guro Reiten, Lisa-Marie Karlseng Utland and an own goal by Osinachi Phale to prevail.
The result put Norway in second place in Group A behind hosts France, who thrashed South Korea 4-0 on Friday in the opening game of the month-long tournament in Paris.
Soccer Football - Women's World Cup - Group A - Norway v Nigeria - Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims, France - June 8, 2019 Norway's Guro Reiten celebrates scoring their first goal with Isabell Herlovsen and team mates REUTERS/Christian Hartmann
Reiten put Norway in front after 17 minutes when she volleyed home from a corner.
Utland doubled the tally with a powerful shot from close range after being set up by Reiten in the 34th.
Three minutes later, three-times African champions Nigeria were completely overwhelmed as Ohale deflected Isabell Herlovsen's cross into her own goal.
Soccer Football - Women's World Cup - Group A - Norway v Nigeria - Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims, France - June 8, 2019 Norway's Isabell Herlovsen in action with Nigeria's Ngozi Ebere REUTERS/Christian Hartmann
Norway next face France in Nice on Wednesday while Nigeria take on South Korea in Grenoble the same day.
Soccer Football - Women's World Cup - Group A - Norway v Nigeria - Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims, France - June 8, 2019 Norway's Isabell Herlovsen in action with Nigeria's Tochukwu Oluehi and Nigeria's Osinachi Ohale REUTERS/Christian Hartmann
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ed Osmond)
Soccer Football - Women's World Cup - Group A - Norway v Nigeria - Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims, France - June 8, 2019 Nigeria's Rita Chikwelu in action with Norway's Guro Reiten REUTERS/Gonzalo FuentesSoccer Football - Women's World Cup - Group A - Norway v Nigeria - Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims, France - June 8, 2019 Norway's Ingrid Syrstad Engen in action with Nigeria's Rita Chikwelu REUTERS/Gonzalo FuentesSoccer Football - Women's World Cup - Group A - Norway v Nigeria - Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims, France - June 8, 2019 Nigeria's Faith Michael reacts REUTERS/Christian HartmannSoccer Football - Women's World Cup - Group A - Norway v Nigeria - Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims, France - June 8, 2019 Nigeria's Francisca Ordega in action REUTERS/Gonzalo FuentesSoccer Football - Women's World Cup - Group A - Norway v Nigeria - Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims, France - June 8, 2019 Norway's Lisa-Marie Utland scores their second goal REUTERS/Gonzalo FuentesSoccer Football - Women's World Cup - Group A - Norway v Nigeria - Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims, France - June 8, 2019 Norway's Lisa-Marie Utland celebrates scoring their second goal with Isabell Herlovsen REUTERS/Christian HartmannSoccer Football - Women's World Cup - Group A - Norway v Nigeria - Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims, France - June 8, 2019 Nigeria's Osinachi Ohale scores an own goal and Norway's third REUTERS/Gonzalo FuentesSoccer Football - Women's World Cup - Group A - Norway v Nigeria - Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims, France - June 8, 2019 Nigeria's Osinachi Ohale looks dejected after scoring an own goal for Norway's third as Norway's Lisa-Marie Utland celebrates REUTERS/Christian HartmannSoccer Football - Women's World Cup - Group A - Norway v Nigeria - Stade Auguste-Delaune, Reims, France - June 8, 2019 Norway's Lisa-Marie Utland celebrates scoring their second goal with team mates REUTERS/Christian Hartmann
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
