Northern Ireland’s first major tournament was off to a terrible start when they were defeated by Norway in Southampton in Group A. Following Wednesday’s 1-0 victory over Austria, Martin Sjogren’s squad ascended to the top of the group on goal differential, dethroning England.
“After the last Euros, it was a relief, but it was a disaster for us. “In 2017, we didn’t even score a goal,” remarked match MVP Caroline Graham Hansen. “It was crucial for everyone to recover quickly and get off to a strong start. I believe that everyone there in 2017 felt relief as we scored our first goal.”
Early on, Graham Hansen demonstrated that Northern Ireland was in for a difficult evening. She defeated multiple defenders to run the length of the field and feed Guro Reiten, whose shot went high. Frida Maanum and Ada Hegerberg continued to generate scoring opportunities.
Northern Ireland required a defensive fortress to earn a point, but Norway scored within minutes. The ball was played beautifully to Julie Blakstad in the tenth minute, who cut it into the bottom left corner. Northern Ireland attempted to retaliate immediately, but Rachel Furness’s long-range attempt missed the target, and the team’s night deteriorated further.
A defensive horror show allowed Maanum to pounce. The short pass from goalkeeper Jacqueline Burns to Chloe McCarron was intercepted by Hegerberg. The Lyon attacker tapped a pass to Maanum of Arsenal, who increased the Gunners’ advantage. Another ferocious strike from Maanum went barely wide and resulted in a corner kick for his team. Hegerberg came close to scoring with a header off of it, but it wasn’t long before they scored their third goal.
Nadene Caldwell appeared to handle while defending a corner, prompting the use of VAR. After a review, referee Lina Lehtovaara awarded a penalty, which Graham Hansen converted to put Norway up 3-0.
Northern Ireland’s manager, Kenny Shiels, disagreed with the decision and stated as much in his post-match press conference. “The Nordic referee, who was officiating a match between two Nordic teams, awarded a penalty. I’m not suggesting for one second that it’s because the woman was the referee; I’m simply stating that the data were there. I believe it is inappropriate for a Finnish referee to oversee a Norway match. I’m not blaming her for the loss, but I don’t think we should discuss it too much because it’s a side issue.”
Simone Magill had Northern Ireland’s greatest opportunity in the first half, but her hasty long-range attempt hit the advertising boards. The loudest cheer of the evening occurred shortly after halftime when Norway failed to clear the ball and Julie Nelson headed for the net. The goalkeeper Guro Pettersen was unable to stop the ball from crossing the goal line, allowing Shiels’s team to score in their first major tournament.
Another defensive miscommunication nearly undid Northern Ireland’s progress, but Abbie Magee made an outstanding clearance off the line. However, Norway was unfazed by the comeback, and Reiten scored a thunderous free-kick.
The Chelsea playmaker has scored spectacular goals for her club all season, so WSL fans were not surprised by this gem. Hegerberg appealed for a penalty as Magee wrestled her to the ground in the subsequent play, but nothing was given. The highest scorer in the Champions League felt she had scored in the 68th minute after tapping in a Reiten pass, but it was disallowed.
In tragic scenes, recently signed Aston Villa player Magill staggered away in tears. A dreadful conclusion to her match and cause for concern for the remainder of Northern Ireland’s campaign.
Shiels disclosed after the match that he is concerned about Magill, stating that she will not play in their next match against Austria, and adding, “It’s her knee. I am a football coach, not a physician, but it does not sound good.” Hegerberg had cause for fear when captain Sarah McFadden knocked her to the ground, but she was soon back on her feet.
Burns was able to avoid additional Northern Irish blushes with three outstanding stops in the last minutes. But it was Norway’s time to shine, and they issued a challenge in this competition. On Monday, the team led by Sarina Wiegman will face a formidable opponent.
