– I think it is a great pity. Considering how much talk there has been about her recently, how big a profile she is in world football on the women’s side, there are a lot of people who were looking forward to seeing her here today. They are being cheated for the world’s second best footballer. That’s what news’s football expert, Carl-Erik Torp, says. On Monday, Caroline Graham Hansen was flown down by private plane to Paris to be present during the awarding of the Ballon d’Or. Graham Hansen was second there, only beaten by teammate Aitana Bonmatí. – For the interest in the national team, it is stupid that she does not play. That she didn’t get to show herself off here to the audience that showed up. They had been looking forward to seeing her, says Torp further. Graham Hansen returned to Norway in good time before Tuesday’s game, and was honored with flowers before the game. – They have invested quite a bit of money to get her to the Gullball gala, by plane and back last night. She was not interviewed afterwards, she was going back soon. It was a very tight and professional arrangement considering that match today. I have to say that I was a little surprised that she didn’t start the match, Torp said during the break. Norway eventually won 9–0 against Albania. This is how the national team manager explains the selection After the match, national team manager Gemma Grainger explained why Graham Hansen did not come on the field. – We wanted to take care of her. We did the work on Friday and I spoke to her and the main focus with her is to take care of her. We will be ready for all matches of course, and I know the fans will want to see her, said the national team manager. – Is Barcelona involved in this or is it your decision? – No, this is after my conversations with Caroline. We have very good communication around the decisions we make. We take them step by step, said Grainger. HAPPY: National team manager Gemma Grainger is satisfied after waltzing over Albania Photo: NTB Teammate in Barcelona, Ingrid Syrstad Engen also believes that it was the right choice, but understands that the public may be disappointed. – Yes, I understand that very well. Everyone wants to see “Caro” on the pitch. But that’s how it is. You have to think about what is the smartest first, said Syrstad Engen. – She was at a gala last night. Coming home late, so there’s a thing between the trainer and Caroine. But they will no doubt get the opportunity to see her again in December, said Ada Hegerberg. The compliments continued to pour in from her teammates. – The fact that she got a rest today I think is perfectly fine. And we are very proud of her, I must be allowed to say that too. The fact that she was so high yesterday, even though it was not the golden ball, we are very proud that she came back as number two best in the world, said Guro Bergsvand. Graham Hansen was not available to the press after the match. Overtaking Norway took control from the start and created chance after chance on the pitch, without scoring. After just over 20 minutes, Albania could not hold off any longer. Frida Maanum delivered a real gem. A precise cross from Guro Reiten, which was masterfully finished by Arsenal star Maanum with a straight ankle. – It is a brilliant hit. She stretches her ankle and just steers it in the corner. Maanum should be delighted with it. Hopefully a redemptive score for Norway, which has struggled a bit in the attacking game at the start of the match, says news’s football expert Kristoffer Løkberg after the score. As desired, things worked out for Norway. The double came just minutes later after the Norwegian women lined up to score. In the end it was Lisa Naalsund who got the honor of scoring 2–0. Ada Stolsmo Hegerberg added to make it 3-0 just before the break. SCORING: Ada Hegerberg was again on the scoring list. Photo: NTB – The odds of Hegerberg scoring were not very high. The scoring is excellent. The run is good, the touch is good and the finish is brilliant, said Løkberg. But the expert commentator wasn’t entirely enthused about that. – Strictly speaking, we have had three very good Norwegian scores. We should never complain about that, but from time to time there has been a bit of a lag in the attacking play, said Løkberg on the eve of the first half. He received support from assistant coach, Ingvild Stensland. – It’s nice to score three goals, but it’s still a bit sloppy in the last third. It’s a bit about the rhythm there and our structure, and then we have to be more precise, said Stensland on the way out to the second half. Maanum didn’t stop scoring The half-time talk must have been good. Norway went out at a terrific pace in the second half, and were paid early. Frida Maanum put in her second of the evening, but the referee blew for offside. However, the TV images showed that the ball came from an Albanian player. VERY SATISFIED: Frida Maanum found the net masks four times before she was replaced. Photo: NTB VAR overturned the decision in the end. Thus 4–0 to Norway. The same woman placed in Norway’s fifth soon after. Thus, the Arsenal star could record his first hat trick for the Norwegian national team. – It doesn’t matter who you meet, a hat trick is big anyway in an international match, said Løkberg. – It means an incredible amount. Of course, I’ve been through a lot. it has been very tough to stand in. For my own part, I needed that summer holiday to get some distance from everything that happened last season. As everyone knows about. To be able to come back here and show in front of 8,000 at Ullevål is incredibly big, said the protagonist himself after the match. Five minutes into extra time in the league cup final on 31 March between Arsenal and Chelsea, Frida Maanum collapsed on the pitch. – You don’t notice anything about the trouble you had then, now? – No, I don’t. I feel very safe looked after both by the medical team both at the national team and at Arsenal. It has meant an incredible amount to me. I’ve had supporters all along who have looked after me well, so I feel in a good place, she continued. Maanum really found scoring form at Ullevaal on Tuesday. Only minutes later she made it 6-0, before being replaced to great applause. A score from Signe Gaupset, her first for the national team, and two penalty kicks from Guro Reiten and Vilde Bøe Risa made it 9–0 in the end. Maanum is praised by her teammates After the match, most superlatives were used by the national team stars about the performance Frida Maanum put up with at the national park. – There is really nothing that pleases me more. You can safely say that she is back and I think she feels it herself too. Now she is where she should be, said Syrstad Engen. FOUR FINDINGS: Frida Maanum found the back of the net four times against Albania. Photo: NTB And it continued to flow. – It is special, not many people score four goals in an international match. It’s a big deal. Those are very nice goals too, I would say. It’s damn cool, said scoring machine Ada Hergberg. – Frida is a sniper – we know that. She has started well at Arsenal this year too, it must be very nice for her to get it out in action. That she gets four goals is absolutely fantastic, said Brighton player Guro Bergsvand. Northern Ireland will be Norway’s last obstacle to reaching the European Championship play-offs in Switzerland next year. The nations meet for a doubleheader in December. Published 29/10/2024, at 20.50 Updated 29.10.2024, at 22.35
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