– It is night and day. So we must be clear. There is an enormous difference. That’s what news expert Carl-Erik Torp says about the difference between playing at national league level A and B. Norway lost the away game against Austria in St. Pölten, but thanks to France’s 1-0 victory against Portugal, Norway at least saved qualification in the national league . The opponent in the qualification is one of the four teams that came second in their groups at level B. They were Hungary, Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Norway’s opponent will be drawn on Monday 11 December. The qualification will be played at the end of February, and then it will be decided whether Norway remains at the top level, which will provide a much easier path to the football European Championship in 2025. – We have to win them. It will be very important. Important for the way forward. It’s about a path to the EC, but also about still being in a position where you can continue to build and be competitive at the highest level, says Ada Hegerberg to news. This is why the national league is important for Norway The national league this autumn is very important for Norway, as it lays the foundation for the regular EC qualification for the EC play-offs in 2025. At the moment, Norway plays in level A, which consists of four groups, but is in danger to move down to level B. Before the last two international matches of the year, Norway is table jumbo in group 2 after two losses and two draws. Fourth place from level A and B moves down to level B and C respectively, while group three must play a playoff against group two in the level below. The groups for the regular EC qualification next year will not be drawn, but are based on the national league this year. If Norway moves down to level B in the nations league, the road to the EC play-offs in 2025 will be far more challenging compared to the EC road from level A. Eight nations go directly to the EC in 2025, in addition to host nation Switzerland: All four group winners from level A, as well as the group runners-up from level A go directly to the EC. The third and fourth places from level A meet the five group winners from level C, as well as the three best group runners-up from level C. A total of eight games where the eight winners go on to a decisive EC playoff. No one from level B goes directly to the EC. The group winners from level B and the two best group runners-up from level B meet the two worst group runners-up from level B and the group runners-up from level B. Here, the six winners advance to the decisive playoff. In the decisive European Championship playoff, there will be a total of 14 nations, with the seven winners qualifying for the European Championship play-offs in 2025. With a win over Austria, Norway would have secured a place at level A, but it was far from a dream start in the north-east of the Alpine country. Because it was the hosts who were to get the perfect start in minus five or six degrees. Lilli Purtschellar got rid of Mathilde Harviken on the edge, before swinging the ball in front of the Norwegian goal. There, Eileen Campbell – who also scored in the 1-1 match at Ullevaal in September – had run free, and the striker poked the ball into the far corner behind Aurora Mikalsen. – The scoring came because we lost our duels. Mathilde Harviken lost the duel all the way out on the left. Then there is a post, and then Guro Bergsvand didn’t reach, comments Torp. Norway had a couple of usable scoring chances before the break, but neither Ada Hegerberg’s long shot nor Frida Maanum’s attempt in the box managed to outwit Austria’s goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger. Thus, the teams in the dressing room still went 1-0 to Austria, and then Norway’s national team manager, Leif Gunnar Smerud, made three changes. – This of course means that Smerud was not satisfied, says Torp. MOVED: National team manager Leif Gunnar Smerud. Photo: Matthias Schrader / NTB Out went Hegerberg, Thea Bjelde and Elisabeth Terland. In came Sophie Román Haug, Tuva Hansen and Celin Bizet Ildhusøy, and the latter in particular was to have an adventurous opportunity to score the Norwegian equaliser. Halfway through the second half, the ball fell perfectly to Ildhusøy in the Austria box, but the Tottenham player blew the ball over the goal. And it was not the last time the ball would fly high over the Austrian goal. Five minutes before the end, Norway were awarded a penalty. Norway abused the opportunity from the penalty shootout Brann player Marit Bratberg Lund went forward, but sent the ball over the crossbar. – Terrible penalty. She is so solid at penalties, but that one was terribly weak. It could be fatal, says Torp. Instead of Norway chasing a winning goal, Austria instead went straight on the attack and scored 2-0 through Katharina Schiechti. Karina Sævik reduced Norway’s lead in overtime, but it ended in defeat on the cold December evening in St. Pölten.
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