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ULLEVAAL (DAGBLADET): On the day four years ago, Norway played around Germany and lost 3-0 at home in Ullevaal. Since then Per Mathias Høgmo was fired, Lars Lagerbäck came in and made Ullevaal a fort.
But on Friday, the Swede suffered his first fall at his Norwegian castle when Austria came to visit in the first Nations League match leading up to the World Cup final in 2022.
– This was for a long time a reality check for a Norwegian team, a little lesson against a good opponent, said Brede Hangeland on TV 2.
– Not the load we wanted in Ullevaal before the fateful match against Serbia in a month, added Øyvind Alsaker.
It is the semifinal of the play-off, where a ticket for the play-off of the European Championship next summer is at stake.
– It’s not a good fight on our part. They were 60 bad minutes, a little better the last 30. There was not a good game for us. We were passive and did not work together as a team, Lagerbäck himself sums up to TV 2.
Debut error
After a dull and boring first half hour, it was Austria who took the lead in Oslo.
Morten Thorsby, who debuted early on, fumbled outside his own 16 meters down the right side of Norway. Then the guests took a bite. The ball was put in front of the goal, where Michael Gregoritsch put the ball into the goal.
– Too strict
Even a break talk didn’t seem to help. Norway remained just as docile after the break, and Austria was punished, after the ball hit Sander Berge’s arm, which was glued to his body.
– He’s too strict. Completely idiotic refereeing, Brede Hangeland commented on TV 2, but he also killed the tame defensive game beforehand.
– A situation that could have been avoided, said the former captain of the national team.
The penalty put Marcel Sabitzer safe in goal behind Rune Jarstein.
Haaland woke up
– Austria is the best in everything, Hangeland commented.
So Lagerbäck took action. Alexander Sørloth replaces Joshua King.
He only spent a few minutes assuming the role of waiter. He easily outplayed Eulalio Alves before circling goalkeeper Erling BRaut Haaland into the empty goal to make it 0-1.
His first goal for Norway’s A team.
– The question is whether the exchanges should have come earlier, Hangeland said after the match, because Norway failed to draw.
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Ten minutes before the end came the great opportunity. Mathias Normann launched a free kick into the box. Perfect on Sander Berge’s head, but the midfielder staggeringly headed out from close range.
Just before the end, Berge had the opportunity again, this time with his legs, but he threw the ball out again.
Norway’s second group match, Northern Ireland versus Romania, ended 1-1. Norway faces Northern Ireland in Belfast on Monday night.
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