Ada Hegerberg will miss Norway’s crucial group stage match against the Philippines on Sunday due to injury.
Hegerberg, a Ballon d’Or winner and a six-time European champion, sustained a groin injury during the final minutes of the warm-up before the game against Switzerland.
Norway are at risk of exiting the Women’s World Cup at the group stage. They lost their opening game against New Zealand and then drew their second match against Switzerland. Only a win against the Philippines on Sunday and a favourable result in the match between their other Group A opponents will see Norway advance to the knockout stages.
Coach Hege Riise has now admitted that she will be without the 28-year-old striker for the game at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand.
Riise said: “Well, we knew there was a possibility once she got injured, that she would not play. The medical team have been working with us to see what was possible for her to play the match.
“But today it has turned out that she cannot play tomorrow. So she will be preparing for a possible next match.
“The rest of us we have been preparing as best as we can for what we’re going to go out there and do and the team of players has handled this very well I would say.”
GO DEEPER
Ada Hegerberg: My Game in My Words
(Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images)
