Football, National Top League | Great performance of the women’s national team: – Very satisfied

Hogg scored the main goal and was the second penultimate Norwegian on the goal during the match. It was a special target by the worthy Sherida Spits.

After a quick free kick in the 63rd minute, Julie Blackstad hit a cross past the Dutch defense. At the far post, Haug slipped and kicked the ball into the roof of the net through the opponent’s leg. The home team shook, and ten minutes later, former Vålerenga captain and star Spitse sent Amalie Eikeland’s cross into the goal.

– It was so much fun. There are a couple of stints where we get a little bit caught up on the ropes, but other than that I think we’re in pretty good shape and have good control in the middle. We are collective in our defensive game, from Sophie all the way down. National Team Manager Hege Riise told NTB I am very satisfied with the implementation.

Haug scored a hat-trick in his first international match since the start, against Albania in a World Cup qualifier. On Tuesday, I started for the second time and was born again.

– Julie came alone to the side. We’ve talked about the fact that sometimes there can be room for an early (pass) in the back, and she has a great left foot, so when she curled into the ball it was just a matter of getting in the right place, Hogg told NTB.

She also won in the air and sent Ekeland off to the post, which forced his own goal.

counterattack

The last time Norway met the Netherlands, 16 months ago, the team had to endure 0-7, which at that time was the biggest loss in the history of the women’s national team. This time, Norway put up equal opposition and it looked good for the team ranked sixth in the FIFA rankings.

It was also a cure for wounded pride after this summer’s 0-8 humiliation against England at the European Commission and last week’s 1-4 loss to Brazil at Olival. The main defensive weaknesses were not shown in those matches on Tuesday. Norway stood up well in their 4-5-1 formation and didn’t give the hosts much room to rejoice, Aurora Mikalsen and captain Marin Meelde rescued the Dutch national team when the Netherlands had great chances.

Ekland was already very close to the Norwegian goal when she stole the ball from the opponent early in the second half and hit the crossbar.

The power of change

Norway caused so much trouble for the hosts that national team coach Anders Juncker had to abandon the experiment with the 3-5-2 formation he had high hopes for, and switch to the compact 4-3-3 formation the team is familiar with. Outside.

They played three in the back maybe for ten minutes, and then they switched, because that didn’t work out. Vilde Bøe Risa told NTB that there was a short period after they changed to fours in defense who played through us a little bit, but we managed to correct, and we didn’t linger too much.

It must be said that the hosts have lost many of their biggest personal files. Four of them have been given leave from this gathering due to the large number of matches, while star Vivian Miedema is ill and others have reported absences for other reasons. However, Norway did not face a bad team in The Hague.

Even three minutes before the game it was possible to reduce the number of the Dutch national team to ten players. Lisa Dorn was fortunate to escape with a yellow card when she illegally stopped Hough, who broke a pass and was speeding past her. The Norwegian striker would have been alone with the goalkeeper if he had not been brought down.

“I was a little surprised by the referee’s choice there,” Hauge said about Dorn not getting a red card.

The Norwegians walked right down the Netherlands’ throat with high pressure and played a relentless duel, finding space between and around the players in the three hosts’ defense and making several good chances. It wasn’t really close to rushing into the net, either because the finishers were fouled or goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaer grabbed the poles in front of Hoegh or other Norwegian players.

Dearest friends

Holland closed in better again after Damaris Igurola was pushed forward in midfield and the edges pulled down. The host team had the most chances in the first half. Victoria Belova tried to shoot repeatedly and Aurora Mikalsen played hot so she could make a great save in the 16th minute. Belova took a short corner to Spitse, who found Egurrola’s header. It was a header heading into the corner, but Michalsen hit the post and ran out.

– There is a reason they say the post is a goalkeeper’s best friend, said Mikalsen.

She was also close after 35 minutes, when Michalsen missed a cross and Marin Meldy had to tackle it on the line. The recoil ended up in the hands of the liar Michalsen.

“Really good from Marin,” said the goalkeeper, who in this case was the captain’s best friend.

Juncker sent a pair of profiles that started off the bench, first Daniel van de Donk (Lyon) and then Jacqui Gruen (Paris Saint-Germain), but with them on the pitch, Norway took the lead and plowed through. match.

In 2-0, Riise replaced Sara Hørte and moved to five at the back.

– There was a lot of running, and then we needed to close, she said.

The national team coach booked several strong opponents for his national team in the first phase of the period leading up to the World Cup. Now there is not much reason to fear the matches against France and England on Spanish soil in November.

(© NTB)