New Zealand wins first-ever Women’s World Cup match, hours after gunman kills 2 in Auckland shooting

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New Zealand opened the Women’s World Cup with a thrilling upset over Norway on Thursday, just hours after a gunman entered a construction site near a team hotel and tragically gunned down two people.

The emotional day for one of the tournament’s host nations began when police say a 24-year-old armed man entered a construction site in Auckland at around 7:30 a.m. local time. The suspect opened fire in a building, killing two people and injuring five more, including one officer who was injured during crossfire. 

Police officers cordon off an area near the site of a shooting on July 20, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand. Three people, including the gunman, were dead, and six others were injured following a shooting in Auckland as the city prepares for the opening match of the women's football world cup. (Fu Tian/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)

The shooting took place near Norway’s team hotel and not far from Eden Park Stadium, according to multiple reports. 

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Despite the tragic events that unfolded just hours before the Football Ferns were set to take the field, a historic crowd gathered to watch what would be New Zealand’s first win at the Women’s World Cup. 

"I think everyone was just pretty taken aback, because this doesn't really happen in New Zealand," defender Katie Bowen said after the 1-0 victory. "But I think, especially on a game day, down to just each individual doing what they needed to do to process it and make sure they could focus on the game at the same time."

New Zealand has played in five previous World Cups, but has not