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The Norwegian and Austrian teams met in the B1 League. This fight was especially interesting for Andriy Shevchenko and his coaching staff. We got to know the playing conditions of our rival in the group stage of the next European Championship.
At the start of the match, the Austrians immediately took control of the ball, tried to play wide in attack and actively tried to sharpen the game with long passes. “Das team” prior to this fight lost several key players who were unable to participate in this match for various reasons. The casualties of defender David Alaba and forward Marko Arnautovic were especially significant. Norway also didn’t have everything perfect with the staffing situation, Lars Lagerbek’s team lost the leader of the attacking formation, Real Madrid attacking midfielder Martin Edegaard (reason: knee problems).
Norway acted defensively quite compactly, while the Austrians tried to open the defensive ranks of the nominal guests with numerous kicks into the penalty area, but this did not bring much results, they did not even come close to scoring chances. Franco Foda’s charges had an absolute advantage in ball control: 70% to 30%. Only in the 20th minute, the Norwegians were able to slightly move the game away from their goal.
In the second half of the first half, the Norwegian team woke up, almost leveled possession and created several chances from the right flank. Austria continued to double their line and the ‘shoot and shoot’ tactics paid off: in the 35th minute Andreas Ulmer crossed from the left wing and Michael Gregorich sent the ball into Rune Jarstein’s goal with a sharp blow.
The first substitution in the game occurred already in the 40th minute, the captain of the guests Martin Hinteregger was injured and could not continue the game. Former Dynamo Kiev player Aleksandar Dragovic entered the field in place of a defender.
The second part began following the same scenario as the first: Austria controlled the ball, the Norwegians sought their happiness in rare counterattacks. In the 52nd minute, Norman Matias received a yellow card, the hosts’ midfielder played roughly against attack leader “Das Tim” and “Leipzig” forward Marcel Zabitzer. But the Austrian was able to continue play, doubling the guests’ lead within two minutes by taking the 11-meter shot after Sander Berge played one-handed in his own penalty area.
In the 64th minute, Norway’s head coach Lars Lagerbek decided to make some adjustments and put second-dimension striker Serlot in a match with the Netherlands, and he was right! In a couple of minutes, this pair organized a goal: Serlot shot, and the Borussia Dortmund striker closed the pass. This goal became for Erling Holand, 20, in his debut for his country.
The Norwegians still had time to recover, but the guests seemed more convincing in the game and no longer allowed Norway to create danger on their doorstep. Result: 1: 2.
The Austrian team showed a good organization of the game, played the first number throughout the fight and deservedly won the first game of the current Nations League season. But the Austrians also exposed their weaknesses, namely the flanks in defense. Franco Foda’s team has provided quality elements for the thinking of the Ukrainian team’s coaching staff.
UEFA Nations League. League B. Group stage
4th of September. Norway. Oslo. Ullewal Stadium
Norway – Austria 1: 2
Goals: Erling Holland 66 – Michael Gregorich 35, Marcel Zabitzer 52.
Norway national team: Yarstein – Ayer, Aleesami, Reginiussen, Elabdellaoui – Berge, Torsby, Normann, Johansen – Holland, King.
Spare: Serlot, Svensson, Berg, Newland, Melling, Fossum, Rossbach, Linnes, Howland, Gabrielsen, Henriksen.
Austria squad: Schlager – Liner, Posch, Hinteregger, Ulmer – Zabitzer, Schlager, Baumgartner, Ilzanker – Onisivo, Gregorich.
Spare: Dragovic, Linhart, Jules, Trimmel, Monstein, Baumgartlinger, Weber, Grillich, Grbic, Ranftl, Stankovic, Pervan.
Head judge: Matthias Gestranius
Judges assistants: Jan-Peter Aravirta, Mikko Alakare
Reserve judge: I swear by munuk
