Today at the World Cup: Australia and New Zealand celebrate winning starts

Co-hosts Australia and New Zealand kicked off the World Cup with victories on the opening day of the tournament.

The pair bring with them very different expectations, with the Matildas among the favorites for the crown while the Football Ferns came looking for a first win on the world stage.

However, the day was overshadowed by the deadly shootout in Auckland, with a minute's silence in memory of those killed before both matches.

Here, the AP news agency looks at the drama that unfolded as the World Cup finally began.

New Zealand stuns Norway

Expectations for 1995 champions Norway are not what they used to be, particularly after a group stage exit at Euro 2022 and an 8-0 defeat at the hands of England, but few expected them to fall to New Zealand at Eden Park.

But Jitka Klimkova's underdogs delivered a memorable curtain-raiser thanks to Hannah Wilkinson's 48th-minute goal in front of more than 42,000 ecstatic fans, a record for a football game in the country

It was the team's 16th attempt to win a game in the final and it could have been more enjoyable if Ria Percival hadn't hit a post from the penalty spot late after the handball was given against Tuva Hansen.

"Expectations, we'll put them on ourselves first," said striker Wilkinson. "We'll build momentum from that first win into the next game.

"It is extremely important that we secure a space outside of this group and we can do that in this next game."

Irish Beginners Fight Show

The Matildas were expected to have an easier course than their co-hosts, but Ireland were in no mood to provide a safe passage to three points on their World Cup debut in Sydney.

It took a second-half penalty from Steph Catley to eliminate newcomers Vera Pauw, after Marissa Sheva pushed Hayley Raso to the ground.

Australia were missing Sam Kerr with the Chelsea striker also set to miss the next game against Nigeria, and struggled to break down the Republic in a first half of few chances.

Irish coach Vera Pauw said: "Sam Kerr is of course one of the best strikers in the world, if not the best, so the fact that she didn't play was a surprise to us, but Australia have so many fast and attacking players that our game plan hasn't changed because of it."

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Group B: Nigeria - Canada (3:30, Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne)

Group A: Philippines v Switzerland (6:00 am, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin)

Group C: Spain v Costa Rica (8.30am, Wellington Regional Stadium)