Norway’s Ada Hegerberg sustained a groin injury during the warm-up for the Women’s World Cup match against Switzerland. This injury puts Norway’s chances of advancing to the last 16 in jeopardy, as they were held to a 0-0 draw at Waikato Stadium.
Before the match, Hegerberg, a former Ballon d’Or winner, was present for the national anthems but walked off the field just seconds before kickoff. Sophie Roman Haug replaced her in the lineup.
According to the Norwegian team doctor, Hegerberg felt a twinge in her groin during the last sprint of the warm-up.
After the match, Hegerberg expressed her disappointment, stating that her injury didn’t feel normal and she didn’t want to take any chances. She wished she could have contributed but acknowledged the hard work of her teammates. She also recognized that the team needs to improve their goal-scoring abilities.
Hegerberg, who has scored 43 goals in 76 games, returned to the national team after a five-year absence for last year’s European Championship. However, Norway was eliminated in the group stage. Now, they are once again on the verge of an early exit, following a surprising loss to New Zealand in their Group A opener. To keep their hopes alive, they must win their final group game against the Philippines on Sunday.
Norway manager Hege Riise couldn’t provide an update on Hegerberg’s injury or availability as she hadn’t spoken to the striker yet.
Riise mentioned that she was unaware of what happened to Hegerberg just before kickoff but praised the good communication that allowed them to have Sophie on the field in time.
As of now, Riise hasn’t had a chance to speak with Hegerberg or the medical team, so she cannot provide any further information.
Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Hyderabad, with additional reporting by Philip O’Connor in Stockholm; editing by Robert Birsel and Toby Davis.
