New Zealand avoided a major World Cup upset after being forced to come from behind to defeat Fiji in their opening women’s match.
Fiji, making their debut in the competition, produced a strong enough challenge to put the New Zealand side under pressure and raise the prospect of a surprise result. New Zealand eventually secured victory, but only after recovering from an early disadvantage.
The contest served as an immediate warning for the reigning contenders, with their performance described as a World Cup “wake-up call”. The result highlighted the challenge posed by Fiji despite the team’s lack of previous World Cup experience.
New Zealand leave their opening fixture with a win, while Fiji’s debut ended in defeat after they had threatened to produce a shock. No further details of the score or the teams’ next fixtures were provided.
