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The Norwegians kept their superior hosts in check overall for long periods. The former star forward of Salzburg and Dortmund, Erling Haaland, had not been seen for a long time. But then he scored 1: 2 for the hosts in the 66th minute and made the finale even more exciting. After a strong start in group one of League B, the Austrians hosted Romania on Monday (8:45 PM CET) in Klagenfurt, who played 1-1 against Northern Ireland at the start.
Foda’s starting lineup inevitably had some interesting variations in store. Christoph Baumgartner celebrated his A-Team debut in Oslo. Unlike the legionnaire from Hoffenheim, the second newcomer, Adrian Grbic, was initially on the bench. Michael Gregoritsch broke in from the start. Alexander Schlager started in goal. Captain Julian Baumgartlinger was just a replacement, so Martin Hinteregger used the bow instead. The Frankfurt legionnaire played in the center of a defender four alongside Stefan Posch.
Gregoritsch seizes the first opportunity to lead
The list of major failures was long and adequately addressed in advance. However, the Austrians were very energetic and compact in the first ten minutes of the game. Foda was allowed to watch with satisfaction from the training area as the Norwegians were attacked early and aggressively. However, scoring chances were still slim on both sides. A return shot from forward Stefan Lainer bounced off a defender from an acute angle (minute 20), that was it for now.
Possession of 66 to 34 percent of the ball and a 6-0 record for shots over or near the goal in the 25th minute were an expression of some superiority. What the ÖFB team was missing until the 35th minute were brilliant ideas. But then Xaver Schlager started the first goal with a duel won close to sixteen opponents. Andreas Ulmer’s subsequent cross from the left went perfectly to the fiver, where Gregoritsch reached out and volleyed the ball with his right foot to the well deserved 1-0.
Gregoritsch scores 1-0 (minute 35)
Michael Gregoritsch scores Austria’s important opening volley goal.
It was the Augsburg forward’s third goal in the 18th international game. The joy over this was clouded shortly afterwards when Hinteregger had to be injured and replaced by Aleksandar Dragovic (40th). However, he entered the break with a broad chest. Defensively, the ÖFB team had the Norwegians under 100 percent control. With the tour in the back, there was hope that after switching sides, more rooms would open up for the guests.
Sabitzer from the eleven high precision points
And the Austrians really took advantage of the first opportunity in the second half to make it 2-0 (53rd). Sabitzer converted a penalty with extreme precision in the left corner, with the ball even touching the inside bar. The penalty came from a hand from Sander Berge, and the Norwegian was hit on the hand by ÖFB striker Karim Onisiwo from very close. From the host’s point of view, it was a very difficult decision for Finnish referee Mattias Gestranius.
Sabitzer penalty goal (54th minute)
Marcel Sabitzer uses a penalty to make it 2-0.
Haaland scores for Norway for the first time
After Sabitzer’s eighth goal in the national team, it initially seemed that the Austrians would carry the result with relative ease over time. But you must never forget former Salzburg player and current Dortmund striker Haaland. The young international star used a strong cross pass from the left to score 1: 2, his first goal for the Norwegian team. Before that, Dragovic had let Haaland invade him too easily.
Haaland’s follow-up goal (minute 66)
The Norwegians’ miracle weapon, Erling Haaland, at least manages to go 1: 2.
After that, Austria came very close to 3-1 at times. Baumgartner (68th and 73rd) met his master twice in Norwegian goalkeeper Rune Jarstein. He was not awarded a goal for the debut. In the 79th minute, Foda brought in Adrian Grbic, a second newcomer. He and his teammates were very lucky in the 83rd minute when Berge headed the ÖFB goalkeeper Schlager’s goal from close range. But that was practically over. They had earned three Nations League points.
UEFA Nations League, League B, Group 1
Friday:
Norway – Austria 1: 2 (0: 1)
Ullevaal Stadium, SR Gestranius (FIN)
Sequence of objectives:
0: 1 (35th) Gregoritsch
0: 2 (54th) Sabitzer (hand penalty)
1: 2 (66.) Haaland
Norway: Jarstein – Elabdellaoui, Reginiussen, Ajer, Aleesami – Johansen (67./Henriksen), Berge, Normann, Thorsby (61./Linnes) – Rey (64./Sörloth), Haaland
Austria: A. Schlager – Lainer, Posch, Hinteregger (40./Dragovic), Ulmer – Ilsanker, X. Schlager – Onisiwo (86./ Baumgartlinger), Sabitzer, Baumgartner – Gregoritsch (79./Grbic)
Yellow cards: Normann, Linnes, Sörloth, Haaland or Lainer, Dragovic
Best: Haaland or Sabitzer, Schlager, Baumgartner
