– We have a world star in Erling Braut Haaland, but damn it, we have a new world star in the making. I am willing to use such big words, says news’s football expert Carl-Erik Torp about the 18-year-old from Langhus. Norway beat Georgia 2-1 on Tuesday evening, and Antonio Nusa should have much of the credit for that. HERJET: Antonio Nusa has come to stay in the Norwegian national team. Photo: BILDBYRÅN – A blind person can see that Nusa was second to last in both Norway’s 1-0 scoring and 2-0 scoring, and there was something poetic about who he served: Erling Braut Haaland on 1-0 and Martin Ødegaard on 2 -0. As someone wrote on Twitter: He has arranged usable dance partners in both Helene Spilling and Nusa, Martin Ødegaard. – You can’t ask for more than that. Two goals and creates a lot. As long as the strength is there, he is very dangerous, says Ståle Solbakken to news. Georgia’s boss Willy Sagnol summed it up quite precisely to news after the match: – He has fantastic potential. Even a blind person can see it. The main character himself is very happy to get an assist for each of Norway’s two biggest stars. – It was very big. Very fun. There are people you look up to. It’s incredibly fun that I was able to assist both of them today, he says to news. – How are you going to avoid taking off after this? – I’m not going to take off at all. I’m just going to keep working on it. I’m in a good flow now, but it’s about being in the moment. I’m going to enjoy myself here, but tomorrow it’s time to continue working, says the super talent. When the youngster was substituted 20 minutes from time, Ullevaal thanked him for the show by giving him a standing ovation as he limped off the pitch after his second cap. It won’t be the last. For those who need renewed hope for a better Norwegian football future for the A national team: Martin Ødegaard (24), Erling Braut Haaland (23) and Antonio Nusa (18) can all play another ten years in the national team. Smallest. Haaland walked straight past the Norwegian press corps without saying a word, and thus went through an entire national team meeting without answering a single question, but Stefan Strandberg pays tribute to his new teammate on the national team. – His match was class. I can stand here and go on and on, but he’s a fantastic player. A little different to what we have had and difficult to defend against. He has come to stay at the top level, says Strandberg to news. – How do you stop a player like that? – It is difficult. If you don’t get him wrong early enough, then it is, not impossible, but extremely difficult. He has an extreme move in the first meters and can go both inside and outside. Then you almost just have to fall with him and hope for the best, says the centre-back. FLY HIGH: Erling Braut Haaland did what he does best, score goals. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB Martin Ødegaard is fairly satisfied with the match, but praises the team’s youngest player for his performance against Georgia: – Very good, again. Very fearless, tough in his game, direct and very creative. Probably gets two assists. Again, very good. Cool to see, says Ødegaard to news. But he was not particularly impressed by the disappointing second round. Once again, Norway let the opponent back into the game. – It is possible that something like that sneaks in … so that we don’t get too messy a game and then we might try to slow down the pace a little too much. And then it goes a little too slowly. Might get better there to just keep painting on. But again, we’re in full control until they score out of nowhere at the end. So yeah, apart from that it was pretty solid, he says. The match started with Norway in the lead, but it took a while before it became dangerous in front of the Georgia goal. After 25 minutes, however, it really hit. Antonio Nusa got the ball out on the left, and the lightning-quick winger didn’t let himself be asked twice. The 18-year-old dragged himself past the back and hit a lovely cross to Erling Braut Haaland in the box, who rose to the air and knocked in 1-0 with a merciless header. – One of the roughest things we’ve seen. There, the Ullevaal audience got their first taste of what could be a long and fruitful collaboration on the national team between two players with each of their own extreme qualities. But Nusa didn’t give up there. Seven minutes later he drove a carousel past two dizzy Georgians before laying the ball 45 degrees out to Martin Ødegaard. The Norway captain, who had only scored two goals in 52 international matches before Tuesday, hammered the ball into the net with an excellent finish along the grass. – One of the roughest things we have ever seen at Ullevaal was the verdict from an enthusiastic Jesper Mathisen on TV 2 after seeing the preparation for the 2-0 score. FINALLY: Martin Ødegaard has not scored a goal for Norway, but on Tuesday he did. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB – Missed it news expert Carl-Erik Torp was impressed by the 2-0 score. – Antonia Nusa, then. Runs an “elastico” variation between two Georgian players and then he wedges it on to Martin Ødegaard, who comes in full “power” and knocks it down, unreachable in the far corner. We’ve missed several goals from our captain, and now it’s coming, said Torp. The second half was, despite Norwegian dominance in ball possession, of the more disappointing kind. A comfortable Norwegian team struggled to create the big opportunities. In extra time, Georgia reduced the score when Budu Zivzivadze snuck in front of Stefan Strandberg to make it 2-1. – It was very, very unnecessary. It seems that we lose our concentration and that we were on target, says national team manager Ståle Solbakken to TV 2. 2-1 was also the result, and thus the theoretical EC hope lives on. But Georgia’s reduction made Norway’s boss somewhat heavier in mind. – We do a lot of tactical things when we are 2-0 and there are 4-5-6 minutes left where we try to send Erling on some counterattacks, where we can rather keep the ball. We have to learn from that, says Solbakken to TV 2. Norway’s EC qualification group now continues with matches against Cyprus (away) and Spain (at home) on 12 and 15 October. GOT A PRIZE: Before the match, Erling Braut Haaland received the visible proof that he became the top scorer in the National League. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB
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– A new world star in the making – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
