Norwegian slaughter, goal drought ended for Ada Hegerberg, an absurd own goal, missed penalty and VAR drama.

The Norwegian women’s football team’s first match during the European Football Championship in Switzerland was memorable.

Finally, Norway could breathe a sigh of relief for their 2–1 victory and a perfect start to the championship.

– I’m very happy to come away with that victory here. We had to dig deep for it. The girls deserved it, and this was important for us, Hegerberg tells NRK.

– Oh my God. I’m so happy and proud. I’m a little emotional and very, very happy, says Norway goalkeeper Cecilie Fiskerstrand to NRK.

This is how Norway played against Switzerland

Here is the NRK stock exchange after the European Championship opener against Switzerland. The assessments are made by NRK expert Carl-Erik Torp.

Cecilie Fiskerstrand: 7

Some very important saves in both halves. Continuing the great form.

Thea Bjelde: 4

Makes a misjudgment when she pushed up ahead of Switzerland’s 0-1 scoring. Often failed on her side.

Maren Mjelde: 5

Shows routine, but also weaknesses. When she ends up in the wrong position, she is exposed on the fly.

Tuva Hansen: 6

Solid who stops, appears as a leader behind there.

Marit Bratberg Lund: 5

Struggled with positioning like the rest of the team in the first half. Picked up after the break.

Wild Bøe Risa: 5

A lot behind before the break. Played up during the match, and came into her own more when she got more runs ahead of her.

Ingrid Syrstad Engen: 5

Fought to make her mark on the game. Was often in the middle, and never got to dictate the game the way she is capable of.

Frida Maanum: 4

Anonymous, struggling to find his place on the edge. But working well and standing.

Guro Riding: 5

Gets a little too easy on the wing and contributes little offensively there. Shows her strengths more when she comes into the center of the field.

Caroline Graham Hansen: 7 – Norway’s best

Dangerous when she gets involved before halftime when the team is struggling. Moves out to the left in the second half, and then we’ll see what it gives the team. Absolutely raw ahead of Norway’s 2-1 goal. Norway’s best.

Ada Hegerberg: 5

Not a friend with the ball and loses a few duels, but works well. Shows power and will on the hugely important 1-1 goal. Weak penalty miss.

* A player must have been substituted before the 60th minute to be considered.

* A player must have been substituted before the 60th minute to be considered.

– Be very honest

This also made it a brilliant championship debut for Norwegian national team manager Gemma Grainger.

– I’m happy with three points. It was a game with two very different halves. I was very honest at halftime, Grainger tells NRK.

Because between the two halves, the Briton had a showdown with his own players:

– The work effort wasn’t good enough. I can accept anything as a coach, but not that, says Grainger and continues:

– For me, the work, the energy and the running were not good enough. We can’t be jumped on by teams. We’re going to do it. That identity is very important to me.

DESPERATE TO JOY: British Gemma Grainger won her championship debut as Norwegian national team manager.

– Why was the work effort lacking in the first place?

– Why was the work effort lacking in the first place?

– We were perhaps a little surprised by the way they played. They played very direct. Did I want a better performance in the first half? Yes, I would, but sometimes you don’t get everything you want. I’m going to enjoy it tonight, but tomorrow I’ll look at the details, says Grainger.

– The coach was not happy, and she is absolutely right not to be, captain Hegerberg recalls the halftime chat.

SNAPSHOT AFTER BREAK: Caroline Graham Hansen (from left), Ada Hegerberg and Guro Reiten cheer against Switzerland.

– We had to make some moves at halftime, and then we woke up. We came back like that in the second half, so it’s really good, she continues.

– There wasn’t a good atmosphere when we went in, but I think it was very constructive, Maren Mjelde tells NRK about the break.

Ingrid Syrstad Engen thinks “everyone” took responsibility during the break.

– It wasn’t quiet, and that’s very important when you’re in a situation like that. Then Gemma took it on too, like she should. It was good to see that side of each other. Mentally, turning it around was a very important bit, Engen tells NRK.

Astrid S sings the national anthem

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– Disappointing

In front of 34,000 at St. Jakob-Park in Basel, an inspired host nation dominated from the start and got the score after just half an hour.

Nadine Riesens sent the ball via the post and into the goal, giving Switzerland a 1–0 lead at halftime.

Norway failed to create any danger in their pursuit of an equalizer before halftime, and the home crowd sent Switzerland into the dressing room to applause and cheers from the crowd.

– That says it all, and they have reason to be satisfied, said NRK expert Carl-Erik Torp:

– A very disappointing performance by Norway. Switzerland is fully deserved to be leading. Norway has looked inferior in most aspects, he added.

Nadine Riesen scores 1–0 for Switzerland against Norway in the European Football Championship.

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Nadine Riesen scores 1–0 for Switzerland against Norway in the European Football Championship.

Stopped the goal drought

– We are not satisfied at all, very disappointing first half. We lack intensity in everything we do. Now we have to show that we can do better, Ingvild Stensland told TV 2 during the break.

After the break, however, the Norwegian women would have to show that they could do better.

Just ten minutes into the second half, Bøe Risa lifted in a corner kick.

In front of goal, Ada Hegerberg flew the highest and scored the equalizer for Norway.

– Hegerberg is determined and raw, but is helped by a goalkeeper who completely miscalculates the ball path, says Torp about the 1-1 goal.

– We thank and bow. She just oozes with determination when she dives in and hits it with her forehead. She is so determined and distinct. It is a joy to watch, says NRK expert Bengt Eriksen.

It was Hegerberg’s 50th international goal, but her first since October. She had since played in seven international matches without scoring.

Ada Hegerberg scores a 1–1 draw against Switzerland.

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Ada Hegerberg scores a 1–1 draw against Switzerland.

Swiss own goal

Norway had had a dream start to the second half, and it would soon get even better.

Just four minutes after the equalizer, Norway had turned the game around.

On the left wing, Caroline Graham Hansen came at full speed, before she passed low towards Hegerberg.

The ball never got there, because instead a sliding Julia Stierli came and sent the ball into her own net.

Swiss player Julia Stierli gives Norway a 2–1 lead.

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Swiss player Julia Stierli gives Norway a 2–1 lead.

Carl-Erik Torp missed a substitution at halftime, but noticed a concrete move before the second half; namely that Norway swapped Graham Hansen and Reiten so that the former could play out on Norway’s left wing.

– It obviously brings out Graham Hansen’s strengths in a better way. I saw it clearly in the 2-1 goal, in her movement, she became a threat right away. I can’t understand why Graham Hansen doesn’t play out there more often. When the games are close and difficult, it gives Norway a direct threat, he believes.

– Absurd minutes

Norway chased more goals, and after half the second half, Gemma Grainger’s women had a golden opportunity to increase their lead.

Marit Bratberg Lund’s corner kick hit Reuteler’s hand, and the Romanian referee pointed to the penalty spot.

Hegerberg went forward to score two goals, but sent the ball wide of the post.

Ada Hegerberg sends the penalty wide of the goal against Switzerland.

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Ada Hegerberg sends the penalty wide of the goal against Switzerland.

Switzerland went almost straight into the attack, and then it was their turn to get a penalty. Fortunately for Norway, VAR intervened and ruled for offside earlier in the attack.

– For a few absurd minutes with a roller coaster of emotions, says Torp and continues:

– From getting a clumsy penalty on a Swiss handball, where we had the opportunity to almost decide the game, but Hegerberg messed it up with a very weak penalty. Then to the anti-climax with the penalty being awarded, before you could cheer again when the penalty was converted.

– Unbelievable

Switzerland pressed hard for an equalizer, but after eight minutes of overtime the drama was over. Norway won in Basel, and the applause at halftime turned into boos from the Swiss spectators.

– It was unbelievable after a first half where Switzerland was the best in all phases of the game. It is strong of Norway to turn this match around after being outplayed throughout the first half in Basel, says Eriksen.

– What seemed like a tough start to the European Championship ended up being a dream night. The team is showing strong morale, and it shows what’s inside the team. I would have thought so after the weak first half, says Torp.

Norway’s next European Championship match is against Iceland on Sunday at 18:00. It will be broadcast live on NRK1 and NRK TV.

Norway’s next European Championship match is against Iceland on Sunday at 6:00 PM. It will be broadcast live on NRK1 and NRK TV.