The near achievement in Vienna – VG

Because here it was a goalkeeper (Per Kristian Bråtveit) who took everything, even on his back. We had a pair of blocks (Andras Hanche-Olsen and Ruben Gabrielsen) who did not hesitate for a second, a duo in central midfield (Sondre Tronstad and Fredrik Ulvestad) who seemed to have played 40 international matches together, we had the captain, Mats Møller Dæhli, who gave the advantage and gave everything in all situations, Ghayas Zahid who kept the ball when the game was too rushed.

And at the top, Veton Berisha worked like he was at full speed. You saw it in his eyes: this would be won, whatever it cost. And together with Jørgen Strand Larsen, Berisha created many riots for the Austrians.

It’s almost a bit painful to think that maybe he was only missed by a slightly more confident scorer (Erling Braut Haaland), meaning that Norway didn’t score any more goals in Vienna. For Jørgen Strand Larsen, Jørgen Skjelvik and Veton Berisha had a total of five great chances, before Norway finally scored.

Efficiency somewhat better. It was basically what was missing.

But the score really came on time, after just over an hour. Jørgen Strand Larsen and Veton Berisha created the opportunity for Ghayas Zahid to score through the goalkeeper. At the time it was easy to believe in a Norwegian miracle, most of it was the Norwegian way. Even a shot from a meter away hit Bråtveit in the back, and Norway fled in horror.

The uniformity among Norwegian footballers was evident yesterday in Vienna: with the right match plan and tremendous effort, the players who are considered the third choice by Lars Lagerbäck made you hardly any different from the supposed best.

Actually, it’s just an old ice hockey rule that could have meant this C team (positive meaning) didn’t send Norway to group A in the Nations League, and a possible World Cup tiebreaker – the deal Mutual decides, and Austria’s 2-1 in Oslo is better than what appeared to be Norway’s 1-0 in Vienna on Wednesday night.

But those are the rules, and it doesn’t help that not everyone thinks it’s a good rule: Norway won’t get an extra, free chance for the 2022 World Cup. It must be like that. In any case, this fall of football has been so different than it normally would have been, that we can only enjoy the fact that we sent a national team to Vienna that really stood up for their country, the nation, and showed that there are many good footballers in Norway.

Eleven men made their debut for the national A team in Vienna. This has not happened since Norway’s first international match, in 1908.

It’s about having the opportunity.

Norway was left empty towards the end and the Austrians tied. But it didn’t matter, because Norway had to have another goal anyway. And the Norwegian players couldn’t take it.

Leif Gunnar Smerud has reason to be proud of the work that he and his players have done. Sometimes, in a short time, few preparations can be that good. You don’t have time to get nervous or overthink. Psychologist Smerud has guaranteed pressure at the right points on his 18 selected players.

It was almost a feat in a match where expectations were low, and everyone involved can be proud of what the Norwegian men’s soccer team accomplished in Vienna on Wednesday night.