AUCKLAND, New Zealand — The women of Western Springs Association Football Club were in a jovial mood as they gathered for training on a recent wintry evening, their shouts of encouragement to teammates creating clouds of icy breath.
They were not only excited about the looming World Cup, which starts Thursday and will see the Norwegian team using their training ground as its base. They were also still on a high from a recent landmark victory.
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After two months of bitter infighting, the women of one of New Zealand’s largest soccer clubs last month agreed to a deal with the club’s management for pay and conditions equal to the men’s side.