– We are of course not satisfied that we conceded three goals, says Norway’s Patrick Berg to news. It eventually ended 3-3 after a highly entertaining game at Hampden Park on Sunday night. Substitute Mohamed Elyounoussi saved Norway with his goal five minutes before the end. By then, Norway had already conceded three very simple late goals, which has been symptomatic of the entire qualification. – Scotland do not have any better player material, but they have a completely different attitude – a different mentality in the defensive game. There is something in the culture, that rawness. A critical Carl-Erik Torp said that in the second half when the Scots scored goal number three of the evening, all as a consequence of weak Norwegian defensive play. NEW TOUGH EVENING: Ståle Solbakken knows that he must get a defensive game in place if Norway is to face a brighter time. Photo: Fredrik Varfjell / NTB The 3-2 goal in particular, which was the first time Scotland took the lead at Hampden Park this Sunday evening, made Torp shake his head. Then Scotland won the duels against both Julian Ryerson and Oscar Bobb at the front. – They manage to get these situations where they argue for the ball. And then there are margins, but they find the opening and put the ball in the goal, commented Torp. Berg admits he gets a little envious when he sees party-minded Scots preparing for the European Championships next summer. – It is, of course, very bitter, and it should ideally have been the opposite. But unfortunately we have not been good enough throughout the qualifiers. We just have to realize that. We haven’t been good enough to tip the games in our favour, so it’s probably deserved that they are the ones who go on, he says. Asking for debate Norway has thus conceded 12 goals in the eight qualifying matches in the group, more than any other group runners-up. The only nation with worse statistics on the number of late goals is Luxembourg (19), but they have played 10 games and are playoff ready. – With the results we have had now, it is timely to discuss the way Norway wants to play. Is it the right way for a Norwegian national team with the qualities we have? Also the way we play zone defense, which they believe is Norway’s way. It has certainly not been lucky in this qualifier. And we see it here today, it is simply too easy to score goals in Norway, says a critical Torp. Kjetil Rekdal in VGTV also asks questions about the zone defence. – We have been told about this zone defense of ours, which is so fantastic. But we are conceding goals, so it is falling behind in decisive games. Do you have confidence in Ståle Solbakken as Norwegian national team manager? Yes No Uncertain Show result The match itself opened in a better way, and for the second game in a row Norway scored before three minutes had been played. The red shirts got off to a dream start when Jørgen Strand Larsen won a duel in the field after a cross and the ball bounced down to Aron Dønnum. – Fantastically done In his fourth international match, the France pro kept his composure, set the ball straight and hammered home 1-0 with a beautiful finish via the post. It was Dønnum’s first national team goal. – It is simply fantastically done by Dønnum. He had a good international match last time and gained renewed confidence. Answer by continuing the big game, said news expert Carl-Erik Torp on the radio broadcast en route. GOOD: Aron Dønnum was healthy against the Scots. Here he celebrates the 1-0 goal. Photo: Fredrik Varfjell / NTB But Norway and Dønnum only got a few minutes of joy before the mood turned to despair. Penalty kick A Scottish dead ball was cleared into the box, where Kenny Mclean fired the direct shot. The ball hit Dønnum, and the referee pointed to the penalty mark by hand. After a VAR check, the penalty stood, and from the penalty spot, captain John McGinn made no mistake and equalized at 1-1. – It is interesting. The ball hit the arm quite high up. When you see it again … It wasn’t as clear a hand as we first thought, Torp said about the penalty situation. After barely 20 minutes, Norway took back the lead. A good Julian Ryerson stormed up the right and was brilliantly cleared by Oscar Bobb. The cross went via a Scottish foot and landed at Strand Larsen, who poked the ball past the goalkeeper. It just managed to pass the finish line before Dønnum removed all doubt and hammered it into the net, but the goal is credited to the Haldense player at the top. The Haaland replacement has thus scored in two straight international matches. SCORET: Norway took the lead twice in the first half. Photo: Scott Heppell / AP Critical: – Not close After half an hour the Scots struck back once again. Scott McTominay hit a hard corner which Kenny Mclean was easily allowed to push on inside the Norwegian box. The ball hit the thigh of an unlucky Leo Østigård and further into the goal behind an outstretched Egil Selvik and 2-2 was a fact. – He is unlucky, of course, but it is too passive, too lethargic inside the five meter area when that corner is taken. We’re not close to that, we’re standing and watching, says Torp about the simple back-to-back goal. Brilliant Bobb Just before the break, Norway was about to score its third of the half, and again a sparkling Bobb was involved. The City player received the ball out on the right and cut into the pitch. With a perfectly weighted pass, he found Sander Berge, who again played the ball 45 degrees out into the pitch. There Dønnum came storming, but the finish from five meters was blocked at the last minute. – Tonight he was brilliant for the Norwegian team, commented TV 2’s Jesper Mathisen. BRILLIANT: Oscar Bobb absolutely wreaked havoc with dizzying shots at Hampden Park on Sunday. Photo: Fredrik Varfjell / NTB The second half did not start as well as the first. Scotland took the lead 3-2 after a quarter of an hour, and again it happened after weak Norwegian attacking play. Weak defensive play First, Kristoffer Ajer was misplaced when a cross was allowed to go across the field, but Norway escaped with a scare. Down at the corner flag, the Scots won the duel against Ryerson, hit a lucky hatch on Bobb and stormed into the field. The ball eventually ended up with Stuart Armstrong, who made it 3-2 with a good finish down the right for Selvik. Goalscorer Armstrong also cohabits with the sister of Kristoffer Ajer’s wife, and the Scottish player was at Ajer’s wedding. In the 85th minute, Norway equalized after a beautiful attack. Ajer found Ryerson with a fine ball, and the right-back hit a perfect cross to substitute Mohamed Elyounoussi at the back post, and the FCK player had little trouble heading in for 3-3. That was also the end result. Norway will now have a longer stay with the national team without counting matches. Solbakken recently stated that the NFF is working to land some training matches in March, and the hope is that some big nations will spar against Norway before the EC. Norway’s next significant game will not come until September, when the National League in preparation for the World Cup in 2026 kicks off. In other words, there is plenty of time to wait and hope that Norway can be in good company next time.
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Late scoring saved Norway – the defensive game receives harsh criticism – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
