– Look at this, just enjoy! There are two fins, they feel they have a fuse, but Graham Hansen finds the exit anyway. Talk about dribbling fins in a phone booth, that’s the closest thing she does.
That was what NRK’s football expert Carl-Erik Torp said when Norway took a 2-1 lead after 84 minutes. That was also the final result in a match in which Norway had struggled for a long time.
Graham Hansen showed her brilliance before placing the ball in the goal, via the post. However, it was uncertain whether she actually meant to shoot, or whether it was a misplaced cross.
– I say it was the intention to shoot there, then it looks nicer, says Graham Hansen to NRK.
Shot or not, after such a performance, words of praise are pouring in from national team manager Gemma Grainger:
– We know her qualities and we know she is one of the best players in the world. I spoke to her because we love her in this team. I want her to enjoy it herself, and I think she did today.
Norway is assured of a quarter-final if Iceland does not beat Switzerland later tonight. That match starts at 9:00 PM on NRK 1.
STAR: Caroline Graham Hansen is being chased by Finnish Katariina Kosola.
– Not a good match
Team captain Ada Hegerberg is also delighted with her teammate:
– We wanted to get her to challenge. There’s no one better at it than Caroline, and she finished with a fantastic score that’s incredibly important for us. I’m so happy for us and for Caroline.
Hegerberg, however, is not as positive about the team’s performance.
– It’s not a good game today, we have to admit that. But coming away with the win when we play less good games is incredibly important. We have to get a grip on ourselves for the next game, but we’re almost in the quarterfinals and it feels good.
Graham Hansen emphasizes that there is only one rule that applies in championships:
– It’s about winning. In previous championships we would have probably lost and then we would have been out now. It’s great.
Stock exchange: How Norway played against Finland
Here is NRK’s assessment of the Norwegian players against Finland. The score is set by NRK expert Kristoffer Løkberg.
Cecilie Fiskerstrand: 6
Can’t be blamed for the equalizer. Three very important saves. Oozes confidence!
Thea Bjelde: 5
Very good involvement 1 on 1 against Kosola in the first half. Quite invisible offensively, but defensively quite good control.
Mathilde Harviken: 4
Given the opportunity from the start instead of Mjelde. Horrible variation before 1-1 where for some reason she called offside. Very important block after half the first half. Played up after the break.
Tuva Hansen: 6
Good control defensively. Tidy in most of her actions. Our best center back to date.
Marit Bratberg Lund: 3
Untidy with the ball. Not contributing much to the offensive game. Occasional trouble defensively.
Wild Bøe Risa: 3
Had a hard time closing the space in the middle. Brilliant cross to Engen that should have scored, then a well-taken corner kick that could have scored.
Ingrid Syrstad Engen: 4
Struggled terribly with the rest of the midfield defensively in the first half. Not confident in the passing game either. Close to scoring. Got better defensively after the break, a bit of the same development curve as against Switzerland.
Frida Maanum: 3
A fantastic turnaround pass that made it 1-0 early. After that, she struggled to get into the game, both offensively and defensively.
Guro Riding: 3
Working and struggling, but completely invisible in the offensive game until she suddenly appeared with a kick.
Caroline Graham Hansen: 6 – Norway’s Best
Finally got set up in her favorite position and delivered immediately. Then more sloppy, giving the ball away before Finland equalized. Dangerous almost every time she was set up 1v1, but at half distance defensively. Missed a big chance, but then conjured up 2-1 and became the match winner!
Ada Hegerberg: 3
Very little involved. Mostly running around. Misses a huge opportunity to give Norway a 2-0 lead. Then missed the ball ten minutes before the end when she had a good chance.
Substitutes:
Signe Gaupset: 6
Fresh immediately after she came on the field. Forward-oriented and offensive in her choices. Brilliant cross that should have given a goal chance. Good presence defensively.
Lisa Naalsund: 6
Moved both faster and more correctly than Bøe Risa from the start of the second half. Important cleanup job in their own box after the hour. Never got going offensively, but very good intensity in the defensive game.
Dream start
It was also Graham Hansen who was behind Norway’s dream start in Sion, Switzerland. After just two minutes, the Barcelona star challenged from his right wing position.
She easily slipped past Finland’s left-back and into the box. Finland’s Eva Nyström tried to clear, but instead ended up kicking the ball into her own goal to give Norway a 1-0 lead.
Eva Nyström puts the ball into her own goal.
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Eva Nyström puts the ball into her own goal.
– That’s what happens when Graham Hansen is in the mood to play, said NRK’s football expert Bengt Eriksen.
The Finns controlled much of the game and after the quarter Linda Sallstrom forced a good save from Cecilie Fiskerstrand.
Ten minutes later, Norway was dangerously ahead again with two great chances in a short period of time. First with a header from Ingrid Syrstad Engen hitting the crossbar, before the subsequent corner was hit by Vilde Bøe Risa and straight into the post.
– Now the goal for the Finns here is coming soon. We can like this, said Eriksen.
And the Norwegian chances continued. The Lyon striker came alone with the goalkeeper, but couldn’t get the ball past Anna Koivunen.
EVEN: Ingrid Syrstad Engen in a duel with Finland’s goal scorer Oona Sevenius.
Finnish equalization: – Not keeping up
The inefficiency paid off just after half an hour.
The Finns easily advanced centrally in the field and played Oona Sevenius free, who beautifully sent the ball into the far corner in one touch. The score was 1-1.
Finland – Norway – Oona Sevenius: Goal
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Finland – Norway – Oona Sevenius: Goals
Torp was not impressed:
– They are just giving the initiative away to the Finns here. We are not keeping up in so many phases of this match. It is not undeserved that Finland scores. Norway has had a few more chances and could have scored more goals, but it is not because of good play of their own. It is because we have quality players in the front line.
Torp called for changes during the break, and got what he wanted.
Norway made two substitutions in midfield. Signe Gaupset and Lisa Naalsund came in for Frida Maanum and Vilde Bøe Risa.
– We need some fresh legs now. We have been far too sloppy with the ball, which means they have had the initiative for almost the entire first half, Norway’s assistant Ingvild Stensland told NRK.
KEEPER: Cecilie Fiskerstrand clear in body language after one of many Finnish opportunities.
More big chances
The match continued in much the same vein after the break. Finland had the ball most of the time, while Norway struggled to break free.
Finland were inches away from the lead after 63 minutes. A long-range shot from Eveliina Summanen was masterfully saved by Fiskerstrand, who barely got his fingertips on the shot that ended up hitting the post.
Norway’s first chance of the second half came in the 79th minute. Guro Reiten attempted a spectacular header from seven meters, but the Finnish goalkeeper tipped the shot over the crossbar.
Two minutes later, Norway should have taken the lead when a cross from the left ended up with Graham Hansen at the penalty mark. The 30-year-old managed to get control of the ball, but shot over, almost unpressurized.
– It’s almost unbelievable that Graham Hansen missed that chance, said Torp.
Fortunately for Norway, Graham Hansen was more accurate a few minutes later and gave Norway very good chances for the quarterfinals.