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Norway – Northern Ireland: 1-0
ULLEVAAL STADIUM: After Norway hit a Northern Ireland wall for 67 minutes, he landed a corner kick. Then a 30-year-old with a troubled history got up in the field. From Strandberg’s head, the ball followed and hit Stuart Dallas in the arm. It eventually ended up on the Northern Ireland network.
That it was precisely Dallas who put the ball in the goal, however, Strandberg as well as the rest of the Norwegian players cared little. Almost the entire Norwegian team flocked to the Southerner. Erling Braut Haaland roared with delight and gave him a friendly shove. Then Strandberg jumped up, hit the air and cheered as if he had scored.
– It was a bit frustrating, Strandberg told TV 2 about the celebration after the game.
Very few soccer players have had a more difficult period in their careers than Strandberg has experienced in the past four years.
Four years of injury nightmares
When Strandberg arrived in Serbia last Thursday, it had been almost exactly four years since he last played football for the national team. Against Romania on Sunday, he was rewarded with a starting place, and he did it again against Northern Ireland.
Since playing in a 1-0 win against Azerbaijan on October 8, 2016, Strandberg has changed clubs four times. In addition, he has undergone six Achilles operations. Three in each Achilles.
– I’ve been through a lot of damn things. Many operations and many injuries. Now my body works a little better, but I still have a little way to go, Strandberg said.
Honor your brother before every game
Soccer is one thing. But Strandberg has also had a hard time on a personal level.
In January 2018, he lost his seven-year-old brother to cancer. Before each game, the 30-year-old leaves a mark to honor him.
– I always have it here, he told TV 2 and pointed to a tattoo on his arm.
– I always think of him when I play games. He always watched the fights, all he could. It has taught me everything I know about soccer. That is why I am here today. I wish I had been here, he continued.
He received praise from the director of the national team
At the post-game press conference, the national team coach, Lars Lagerbäck, chose to highlight Strandberg as one of the players who has most impressed him in this selection period.
– You have made a very good impression here. He is a very wise footballer. Has a good knowledge of the game. The more I know him, the clearer it is to have a positive player in the group, he said.
Wednesday’s captain, Omar Elabdellaoui, also praised Strandberg’s achievements and path.
– I am very happy on your behalf. Come in and do it very well. You see, it means a lot to him.
Tam first round
But before the own goal, Norway had long been glued to a wall.
This despite the fact that after two minutes came what looked like a small scare shot from the Norwegian team. The combination of Martin Ødegaard and Erling Braut Haaland flourished in earnest against Romania, and now they meet again.
Ødegaard threw the ball into the field to Haaland who put the wide band to. But he hit the middle of Trevor Carson in the Northern Ireland goal.
Then it became strangely silent from the Norwegian camp.
Giant rescue
Although André Hansen, who had the opportunity in favor of Rune Almenning Jarstein, at times seemed to freeze a lot in the Norwegian goal, he had to act after 18 minutes.
Ødegaard lost the ball in midfield. Suddenly Josh Magennis was alone, but Hansen followed with a brilliant parade of legs.
From there and inside, there was, as they call in ice hockey parlance, “powerplay” at the Ullevaal stadium in Norway. However, they rarely had great opportunities.
Then, in overtime in the first half, Meling found Haaland’s head. The header, however, was not enough, and the teams went to rest in the 0-0 position.
Ødegaard dissatisfied
The second round was also more or less a game against a goal. But again, the Norwegian team failed to take advantage of the big chances before the own goal came.
Thus, the match ended 1-0.
After the match, Ødegaard was not very happy with the Norwegian game.
– We won, and that was the most important thing. But if we want to catch up with really good teams and make it to the championship, then we have to climb a lot of steps from today, he told TV 2.
This means that Norway now has nine points after four games in the Nations League and is equal in number of points with Austria. This means Austria takes the lead after beating Norway 2-1 at Ullevaal in September.
Therefore, the last group game, away in Austria on November 18, can be a pure group final. Before then, Norway will play Romania away three days earlier. Group win will provide an advantageous seed for the World Cup qualifiers to be drawn later, and possibly a playoff opportunity for the 2022 World Cup if Norway does not reach the World Cup through ordinary classification.
