Goalkeeper Gaelle Thalmann shielded Switzerland to a 0-0 draw against Norway today at the Women’s World Cup, as the Norwegians played without star striker Ada Hegerberg because of injury.

Hegerberg was initially listed to start, but the team announced during the match that the Ballon d’Or winner was unable to play after experiencing “a feeling in the groin” toward the end of her pre-match warmups.

The Norwegians could have used her to break open a scoreless game. In her place, Sophie Roman Haug started the match as a striker. But Roman Haug’s Women’s World Cup debut proved to be a fruitless one. She was substituted in the 73rd minute for Karina Saevik.

Switzerland and Norway each had their share of opportunities to score a decisive opener throughout the match, but it was Norway that forced Thalmann to come up with four saves.

Despite a constant drizzle for most of the match, 10,769 fans were in attendance for the Group A match in a Waikato Stadium that holds just over 18,000.

Source: Oman News Agency