EURO 2022: Opening defeat for Northern Ireland - but positives to take
Norway 4 Northern Ireland 1
Northern Ireland’s first ever campaign at a major competitive tournament began with defeat and injury to striker Simone Magill – but it’s Julie Nelson who will go down in history.
The veteran defender, who has given so much to her country over the years, grabbed their only goal of the game early in the second half.
It came after a baptism of fire in the first half against a Norway side who are one of the favourites to go and win the whole tournament.
Two goals in a few minutes in the opening period put paid to any notion of a shock result in Northern Ireland’s favour.
A third arrived before the break as the Norwegians threatened to run riot but, credit to Kenny Shiels, who made a few subtle tweaks at the interval, which led to Northern Ireland being much more competitive.
Despite a solid start from Northern Ireland, it was Norway who had the opening two opportunities of the match.
Stand-in skipper Sarah McFadden made a superb diving block to deny Ada Hegerberg before Guro Reiten headed well over following a surging run down the right from Caroline Graham Hansen.
However, it took just 9 minutes for the side in red to go in front after a period of dominance.
Northern Ireland’s press was broken and that allowed Reiten to find Julie Blakstad in acres of space 18 yards out on the left. The Manchester City player took a touch before rifling home a low drive past Jackie Burns, who could have possibly done better.
Things then went from bad to worse less than 4 minutes later as Northern Ireland conceded a second and it was all of their own making.
Burns bowled the ball out to Chloe McCarron midway inside her own half. But her attempted pass was charged down and when the ball fell to Hegerberg, she unselfishly teed up Arsenal midfielder Frida Maanum, who had the simplest of tasks to sidefoot home into the unguarded net first time.
Burns was then at her best to smother at the feet of Blakstad before getting down well to her right to push round the stinging effort from Maanum shortly after. Hegerberg then nodded wide from a Graham cross as Norway threatened to run away with it just past the midway stage of the first half.
Northern Ireland did gradually begin to get out of their own half and had their first shot in anger on 27 minutes when Abbie Magee did well to find Lauren Wade, but the Glentoran striker fired wide from 18 yards.
Magee then made a superb block to deny Hegerbeg a certain goal soon after before Norway were awarded a penalty on the half hour mark after Nadene Caldwell was adjudged to have handled in the box following a long VAR check.
Barcelona’s Caroline Graham Hansen tucked it away from the spot excellently to make it 3-0, despite a valiant effort from Burns, who went the right way, but was beaten by the power.
Each side had another effort each in stoppage time at the end of the half with Simone Magill shooting wide for Northern Ireland, before Hansen forced Burns into another stop.
Callaghan was introduced for the injured Caldwell at the break and her side stunned St Mary’s with their first goal just four minutes after the restart.
After a corner from the right wasn’t cleared, Magee kept the ball alive and when Rachel Furness volleyed it back across goal, Julie Nelson was on hand to direct her header over the line.
But, that mini-euphoria lasted just 4 minutes when Reiten restored Norway’s three-goal advantage by curling home a simple free-kick from just outside the box as the Northern Ireland wall seemed to be set up wrongly.
Northern Ireland more than held their own for the remainder of the match as Shiels made plenty of changes with the result gone by the final quarter.
The McGuinness sisters got minutes on the pitch, with Caitlin replacing Simone Magill, who left the field in tears 12 minutes from time with what appeared to be a serious knee injury.
This result wasn’t entirely unexpected - Northern Ireland are ranked 47th in the world, while Norway sit 36 places above them and have a former Ballon D’Or winner in their ranks.
But a number of strong individual performances, from Abbie Magee, Jackie Burns and Sarah McFadden in particular, will give Shiels plenty of hope for Monday night’s meeting with Austria.
MATCH STATS
Norway: Pettersen, Sonstevold (T Hansen 65), Mjelde (Bergsvand 80), Thorisdottir, Blakstad (Josendal 89), Eikeland (Saevik 65), Maanum (Boe Risa 65), Engen, Reiten, Graham, Hegerberg
Subs not used: Skoglund (GK), Mikalsen (GK), Ildhusey, Bjelde, Terland, S Hanse, Haug
Northern Ireland: Burns, Burrows (Holloway 65), McFadden, Nelson, Magee, Vance, McCarron, Caldwell (Callaghan H-T), Furness (K McGuinness**** 74), Magill (C McGuinness 78), Wade (Wilson 78)
Subs not used: Flaherty (GK), Turner (GK), McKenna, Andrews, Rafferty, McDaniel, Hutton
Referee: Lina Lehtovaara (Finland)