Fifteen-year-old Alysha got to be part of the coin toss that opened last night's World Cup match. Photos / Supplied
An Auckland schoolgirl is “never going to forget” the moment she got to play a part in last night’s historic Fifa Women’s World Cup opening match.
Alysha Chand, 15, was chosen to take part in the coin toss to decide who would kick off the game between the Football Ferns and Norway, which ended in triumph for the New Zealand team.
And now her proud dad has revealed just what it meant to the football-mad teenager to be part of it.
The Herald spoke to Alysha’s dad Karam Chand, who revealed that his daughter had won a competition through Coca-Cola - one of the World Cup’s official sponsors - for a role in the match, thanks to a kind neighbour and friend.
“We found out [that she had won] probably a few weeks ago,” he said, adding that his daughter has been “a huge football fan for quite a few years, absolutely loves it.”
When Alysha found out she would be taking part in the coin toss, her parents “couldn’t contain her”, Chand jokes.
Alysha was at Eden Park by 1.30pm yesterday for rehearsals and got to meet some of her favourite players.
“Such an exciting atmosphere ... [she was] really nervous but as soon as she got out of the tunnel, it was a dream come true,” Chand said.
Today, he’s “just starting to get his voice back” after the Ferns’ “perfect win” against Norway - and Alysha was of course “so happy with the win”.
“I just know she was over the moon.”
Alysha has been playing football as a defender for 7 years, and her proud dad reveals he, her mum and brother Nathan are her biggest supporters, cheering her on at every game.
She plays for Lynfield College 1st XI and the under-15s girls team at Auckland United FC.
“She is a committed and hardworking player and always encourages teammates,” Chand says, adding that his daughter hopes to turn her passion for both sports and science into a career in the future.
“Physiotherapy is something she is striving to do, and football will always be in her blood!”
Coast radio hosts Sam Wallace, Toni Street and Jason Reeves spoke to Chand on air earlier today about his daughter’s “special involvement” with the match.
“My daughter was privileged enough to take the coin out onto the field to the captains. And it was just an all-day experience for her and it was just amazing,” he told the hosts.
Chand then revealed that Alysha got to take home the coin used in the toss.
“She had to take the actual coin for the coin toss, and give it to the referee, and then of course, they gave the coin back to her, which we now own.”
After her big moment, Alysha went and sat with her dad to watch the game - and he said “the whole atmosphere was just amazing”.
He added that he’s “a big advocate of women’s football” and has coached Alysha’s own team, along with her brother Nathan, as well as a women’s team last year - “so to see this is just great”.
Karam went on to tell the radio hosts that his daughter was “definitely, 100 per cent” a passionate footballer.
Street noted that Alysha was “never going to forget” the moment. “I hope you got lots of photos and put them in a photo book so she can just dine out on this for years to come.”
It comes after the Football Fern’s 1-0 victory over Norway in a dramatic match in front of a crowd of 42,137 in the stands at Eden Park and countless others watching online.
Hannah Wilkinson’s incredible goal at the 47th minute landed the Ferns their first-ever Cup win.
They’ll head to Wellington to face the Philippines team on Tuesday next week.
But if you want to see it, you’ll have to get in quick - the ticketing website says there is “low availability” for seats for the Wellington game, with tickets being snapped up just minutes after last night’s match ended.
Bethany Reitsma is an Auckland-based journalist covering lifestyle and entertainment stories who joined the Herald in 2019. She specialises in lifestyle human interest stories, foodie hacks (what can’t you air fry?!) and anything even remotely related to coffee.