Summer soccer updates
Norway women split first two Euro games
Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB
The Norwegian women relax for a few minutes during their two-day training session before the European Championship match against England in Brighton.
MICHAEL KLEINER
Business and Sports Editor
The Norwegian American
The quadrennial women’s soccer European Championships got underway on July 6 and will run to July 31 in England. Norway had the most significant addition. After four years of acrimony and separation from the Norway national team, Ada Hegerberg, who in the interim became the best women’s player in the world playing for Lyon in France, was there wearing the Norway jersey. With already potent scorers Caroline Graham Hansen and Guro Reiten, the addition of Hegerberg vaulted Norway into the gold medal contender discussion.
All that said, Hegerberg didn’t score. The team still needs to build chemistry, but her mere presence on the pitch demands attention from the opposition, while freeing up teammates. Norway built a 3-0 halftime lead on newcomer Northern Ireland in their Group A opener on July 7 on goals by Julie Blakstad (10’), Frida Maanum (13’) and a penalty kick by Hansen (31’). Reiten converted a free kick in the 54th minute and Norway won 4-1. Overall, Norway outshot Northern Ireland 21-6 and 10-2 on target.
England edged Austria 1-0 in the group and tournament opener July 6, then jumped all over Norway July 11, taking a 6-0 halftime lead en route to an 8-0 final that leaves Norway at risk of not advancing to the knockout round. Austria beat Northern Ireland 2-0 and plays Norway July 15.
All five Nordic countries made the 16-team event. Sweden, one of the favorites, drew 1-1 with Netherlands in a Group C opener; Germany routed Denmark 4-0 in Group B; Spain downed Finland 4-1 in Group B; a 67th-minute penalty kick by Justine Vanhaevermaet earned Belgium a 1-1 draw with Iceland (Berglind Thorvaldsdóttir 50’). In Group C, Portugal drew 2-2 with Switzerland, and in Group D, France routed Italy 5-1, on a first half hat trick by Grace Geyoro.
Eliteserien, July 10
When the dust cleared after some big games leading up to July 10, Molde sat atop the table by one goal. They and Lillestrøm had identical 9-3-2-30 points) records, but the goal differential was 28-13 vs. 27-13 for Molde. On July 3, Molde had a scoreless draw with 10th-place Ham Kam (3-8-2-17); Lillestrøm beat last-place Kristiansund (0-1-10-1) 3-1 on two goals and an assist by Akor Adams; an own goal in the 66th minute earned third-place Viking (7-4-4-25) a 1-1 draw with fifth-place Rosenborg (Stefano Vecchia 29’; 5-6-2-21).
On July 6, Molde had another disappointing 1-1 draw with 15th-place Jerv (3-2-8-11). On July 10, Mai Traore scored at 90’+1 to lift Viking past Lillestrøm 1-0; Molde routed Tromsø 5-1 behind two goals and an assist from David Datro Fofano; Samuel Rogers’ hat trick carried Rosenborg past Jerv 3-2. On July 9, fourth-place Bodø/Glimt (6-4-3-22) beat seventh-place Sarpsborg 08 (6-1-6-19) 4-1 with two goals from Victor Boniface.
Bislett Games; Warholm nursing injury
At the Bislett Games June 16, Jakob Ingebrigtsen set a Norwegian record of 3.46,46 in winning the Dream Mile. Sondre Guttormsen and Pål Haugen Lillefosse tied for second in the pole vault with 5.80 meters. The Norwegian women’s 4×400 relay team of Lakeri Ertzgaard, Elisabeth Slettum, Line Kloster, and Amalie Iuel set a Norwegian record of 3.28.58 in finishing second. Karsten Warholm has been out with a thigh injury and Alison dos Santos of Brazil has been the best 400-meter hurdler this season.
This article originally appeared in the July 29, 2022, issue of The Norwegian American. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.
