As a final dress rehearsal before the big game, the Norwegian national team played a match against Portugal behind closed doors. A battle they emerged victorious from – in several ways. Because a homework given by assistant coach Ingvild Stensland probably came in handy even before the championship in Australia and New Zealand has kicked off. THE TEACHER: Assistant coach Ingvild Stensland (th) handed out homework to the national team players before the WC. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB Secretive Just after Christmas, long before the club football season had come to an end in several countries, the national team players were given homework before the World Cup. It is about something that can quickly become very relevant in a championship – namely penalties. – We have had a process going on for a while. Try to be as prepared as you can for what may possibly await them in a World Cup. Then they got some homework and worked a bit along the way, Stensland tells news. She is nevertheless secretive about exactly what the homework has been about. – They have had a homework they have done. I won’t go into that much detail. It is to focus it on the preparations that will take place. There is no such thing as a “must score” scheme. They should just feel that they are comfortable and are well prepared. – It is an important part of being prepared for the WC. There may be penalty shootouts which could be important. Practiced on the United goalkeeper Several of the players smile when news mentions the “homework” they have been given by the coach. Mathilde Harviken reveals that they have been working on this for a long time. – We have taken a good number of penalties since Christmas until now, in order to be quite well equipped for a possible penalty kick, says Harviken. When asked what the homework has been about, she tells a little more than Stensland. – It probably started with us having 15 penalties a week from the first to the second meeting after Christmas. With five times three a week. After the second collection, it changed to a penalty three times a week, to sharpen it a little more, she says. PRACTICE ON CLUB KEEPER: Vilde Bøe Risa took penalties with the goalkeeper at Manchester United. Photo: Astrid Pedersen / NTB They had to do these homework in their respective clubs. Manchester United player Vilde Bøe Risa says that she practiced her goalkeeper at the club. She says it became a little stricter when they went down to one penalty: – Then you had to set it, says Risa to news. Used penalty expert But it is not just terping on the field that should make the players better from the chalk mark. – We have had a penalty specialist in, so it is very cool that we practice so much, Tuva Hansen tells news. The criminal specialist in question is sports psychologist Geir Jordet, who, among other things, has helped Martin Ødegaard as a mental coach. SATISFIED: Tuva Hansen has learned a lot from her homework. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB – We have had a couple of meetings with him, and then he came up with tips and advice on what works for the experts, those who are best at punishment. I’ve learned a lot, and then it’s just practice. Practice makes perfect, so I think it will probably work, says Hansen. The latter can also be signed by teammate Risa. – We have trained on it for a long time, in the club and focused on it ahead of the pre-camp. You know that the more you practice, the more confident you become. I think it can be an advantage if you end up in that situation, she says to news. Practice makes perfect (against Portugal) So, when Norway met Portugal in a final test before the World Cup, they also got to try their hand at penalties. After the end of the match – a match Norway won – the teams also held a penalty shootout between themselves. Norway 4 – Portugal 2. – It would have been crazy if we had lost then, but we don’t do that either, says Ingrid Syrstad Engen to news and laughs. WELL PREPARED: After all the practice, the players should be better prepared for a penalty situation. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB – It might be good to prepare for that scenario. It can quickly happen in a championship. It’s not stupid. National team friend Risa is also happy that the homework had been done. – I feel safer when I go up and take that kick. It has really been a good learning experience, says Risa
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