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Norway had few problems beating Northern Ireland in Southampton, but it still fluttered on one front: the match balls. The TV cameras picked up several times how both Norwegian and Northern Irish players reacted to a lack of air in the European Championship ball. THE MATCHBALL: At least the first. Photo: VEGARD GRØTT / BILDBYRÅN And time and time again it had to be replaced. Butts – There was not much air in the balls. Very many of them, in fact. You felt when you hit the ball that it was almost a bit dead. Maybe we can make sure that the balls are better pumped for the next match, says Norway captain Maren Mjelde to news. – It was very strange. I reckon that will be controlled that way. Now we know about it, so maybe we will make sure that it is in order for the next match, she continues. Hegerberg was among the players who reacted during the match. When Norway got their first corner kick in the 20th minute, she kicked the ball away and expressed dissatisfaction. – It was a bit soft, at least the first two balls we had, so we asked for a new ball that we could play proper football with, says Hegerberg. – A bladder After nine minutes, the Northern Irish goalkeeper Jacqueline Burns delivered the ball to the referee, who stopped the game to get a new one in place. Guro Reiten also threw away one of the balls. – It was a bladder, sort of. When we posted, you just heard … No, there was too little air in them. The referee took them away and filled them up, but balls came in with just as little air, so it didn’t help much. But it eventually worked out, says Reiten to news. GREAT PLAY: Guro Reiten. Photo: BEN STANSALL / AFP “It went well, lol”, she adds with a smile. And it did: the 4-1 victory could have been even bigger, and Reiten crowned a solid match with a free kick goal. Arsenal coach and TV4 expert Jonas Eidevall commented that he has never seen Reiten better. – For my part, it has been about calming down a bit this summer and making a profit. I know what I’m good at, and then I want to bring it out at this level. I just have to try to do my very best, and play my teammates well. Then I use to be good, too. It was very good today (Thursday), says Reiten.



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