That’s it for tonight’s coverage. Sarah Rendell was at St Mary’s for us, so please read her report and chat about the game below the line. Thanks for your company and emails - goodnight!
The Northern Ireland manager Kenny Shiels’ reaction
“We were nervous in the first 20-25 minutes. They’ve got the two best strikers in the world, yet we drew the last hour of the game. The scoreline is hard to take because I thought we did better than that. But when you think about their quality… we’re three years into this program, and it’s going to take ten years to get us into the top 20 in Europe.
“We have to get real and understand that it’s an emerging game in Northern Ireland – we’ve created a monster because we’ve grown too quick and we’re playing against teams of this ilk. It’s tough. But we matched them for the last hour. I felt we did a lot of good stuff, and that gives us encouragement. The girls were superb and gave everything for the country.
“We’re learning all the time and you can see what we got from that game tonight. We started to believe a bit more as the game matured. These experiences are brilliant for them, especially the younger ones. It will help them, and they will help the growth of the game.”
There are two games tomorrow, both in a very competitive Group B
- Spain v Finland
- Germany v Denmark
Here’s our Sid on how Spain are adjusting to life without Alexia Putellas and Jenni Hermoso.
The thoughts of Northern Ireland goalscorer Julie Nelson
“We were a bit nervous in the first 15 minutes and conceded two goals, but I thought we stepped up after that and did out best. We restricted them to not many chances in the second half and that’s what we need to do.
“It’s absolutely incredible [to score Northern Ireland’s first goal at a major tournament]. I definitely didn’t think I’d be getting on the scoresheet! It’s an incredible feeling.”
Full time: Norway 4-1 Northern Ireland
Peep peep! A comfortable win for Norway at St Mary’s, as expected, but Northern Ireland got the moment they craved when Julie Nelson scored their first goal at a major tournament.
Norway looked terrific, Caroline Graham Hansen and Guro Reiten in particular. They added to earlier goals from Julie Blakstad and Frida Maanum and will give England a serious test on Monday, especially as you know Ada Hegerberg won’t be as merciful in front of goal as she was tonight.
It’s not too trite to say that this was a triumphant night for both sides - Norway won the game, and Northern Ireland made history.
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90+3 min Graham Hansen shoots wide, under pressure from Nelson, after some neat interplay with Saevik. She has been majestic.
90+1 min Five minutes of added time.
90 min A loose ball falls to Reiten, who shoots over from 15 yards.
90 min Another change for Norway - Anna Josendal replaces Julie Blakstad at left-back.
88 min Blakstad charges into the area from the left, holds off McFadden and hits a cross towards Hegerberg that is cut out by the diving Burns.
87 min England v Norway on Monday, oh yeah. That is going to be a cracker. Sarina Wiegman has plenty to consider, especially the role of Leah Williamson, given how good Norway are in attack. The No10 Caroline Graham Hansen could be a big problem for England.
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85 min The two players of the match, Caroline Graham Hansen and Guro Reiten, stand over a free-kick on the left. Eventually Graham Hansen takes it and Burns claims confidently.
82 min Burns makes another good save, pushing away a rasping shot from the substitute Saevik. That’s the sixth save Burns has made tonight.
81 min A raft of substitutions now as the match starts to peter out. Guro Bergsvand is on for the captain Maren Mjelde.
79 min Caitlin McGuinness replaces Magill, and Emily Wilson is on for Lauren Wade. Magill was in tears as she left the field, after getting her foot stuck in the turf. It doesn’t look good.
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78 min This is really sad: Simone Magill is being helped from the field, and she looks in a lot of distress. I hope that doesn’t mean her tournament is over.
77 min Norway look, if not desperate then certainly keen to give Hegerberg a goal. Saevik tries to find her with a cross that is cleared at the far post.
75 min The atmosphere at St Mary’s is terrific, with the Northern Ireland fans making a fair old racket.
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73 min Another change for Northern Ireland: Kirsty McGuinness replaces Rachel Furness, who has put in an admirable shift.
71 min A Norway corner is punched away to the edge of the area towards Saevik, who hooks a volley over the bar. Meanwhile, here’s the moment Julie Nelson will remember forever.
What a moment as Julie Nelson gets Northern Ireland's first ever goal at a major finals! #BBCFootball #BBCEuros
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 7, 2022
69 min: Hegerberg has a goal disallowed! It was another neat move, involving Reiten and Graham Hansen, but Reiten was fractionally offside before she squared the ball to give Hegerberg an open goal. Those three have been spectacular at times tonight.
68 min Both these teams are in action again on Monday. Northern Ireland play Austria on this ground, and Norway meet England in a humdinger in Brighton.
66 min A triple change for Norway: Vilde Boe Risa, Karina Saevik and Tuva Hansen replace Eikeland, Maanum and Sonstevold
65 min A change for Northern Ireland: Rebecca Holloway replaces Kelsie Burrows.
62 min No sign yet of Norway going easy on Northern Ireland, or saving their energy for England on Monday. Reiten threads a gorgeous first-time pass through to Hegerberg, who is eased away from the ball by Magee. At first viewing I thought that should have been a penalty, but the replays were less conclusive.
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58 min Northern Ireland have been more spritely in attack in the second half. There’s a carnival atmosphere, despite the scoreline - which, for Northern Ireland, was only ever going to be part of the story tonight.
GOAL! Norway 4-1 Northern Ireland (Reiten 54)
Guro Reiten gets the goal her performance deserves. She teased the free-kick round the wall and past Burns, who took a step to her left and was wrongfooted as a result. Nice free-kick though it was, that was a bit too easy.
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53 min The majestic Graham Hansen is fouled just outside the area by McFadden, who is booked.
52 min At the other end, a confident long-range floater from Wade is comfortably saved by Pettersen.
51 min: Chance for Norway! Hegerberg marches through on goal, wins a 50/50 with Burns - who goes feet first despite being in her own area - and drives the ball across goal. It’s going wide but Magee makes sure anyway, booting it clear inside the six-yard box.
Vance’s corner was headed up in the air, which lead to a bit of a scramble in the penalty area. Eventually Furness miscued a shot across the six-yard line and Nelson reacted smartly to head it towards goal. The keeper Pettersen scrambled the ball away but it was clearly over the line when she did so. Northern Ireland have their first goal at a major tournament!
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GOAL! Norway 3-1 Northern Ireland (Nelson 49)
And it leads to a goal from Julie Nelson!
🔥 @JulesNelson5 get in there!! #ANewDream #GAWA #WEURO2022 pic.twitter.com/WRucY74NXb
— Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) July 7, 2022
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48 min Wade wins an early corner for Northern Ireland, their first of the game...
46 min Peep peep! Northern Ireland kick off the second half.
A half-time change for Northern Ireland: the captain Marissa Callaghan is coming on to replace Nadene Caldwell. What a proud moment for a giant of Northern Irish football.
Half time: Norway 3-0 Northern Ireland
Peep peep! As expected, Norway have been just too good for Northern Ireland. Julie Blakstad, Frida Maanum and Caroline Graham Hansen got the goals, and it would have been more but for the keeper Julie Burns. Northern Ireland haven’t let themselves down, they’re just up against a superior team.
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45+2 min Graham Hansen cuts infield from the left. Nobody challenges her, so she keeps going and eventually curls a shot from 25 yards that bounces up awkwardly and is pushed away by the diving Burns. That was a decent save because I think she saw it late.
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45+1 min Wade plays a neat reverse pass to Magill, who shoots a few yards wide from the edge of the area. Northern Ireland have had some bright moments in attack, albeit without really threatening Guro Pettersen.
45 min After another successful press from Norway, Hegerberg works Burns from distance.
43 min Furness has probably been Northern Ireland’s best player in the first half. She has led the press well and shown touches of quality. But ultimately Norway are just too good.
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40 min A break in play while Caldwell receives treatment. I think she’s fine to continue.
36 min “Ah yes, the NOR-NOR derby,” says Peter Oh. “Norway versus Norniron. The winner of this one oughta play whoever prevails in North Korea v North Macedonia to determine ultimate NOR bragging rights.”
34 min Good play from Northern Ireland. McCarron (I think) curls an excellent long pass to find Wade in space on the right. She cuts inside, across the line of the penalty area, and eventually hits a shot that is blocked.
32 min “Burns, kick the ball long,” says Peter Gartner. “You’ve given away one goal already with your short passes from the back.”
GOAL! Norway 3-0 Northern Ireland (Graham Hansen 31)
Graham Hansen pings the penalty through Burns, who went the right way and got a touch but couldn’t keep it out.
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PENALTY TO NORWAY!
30 min The resulting corner hits the outstretched elbow of Caldwell. She was probably unsighted after the ball dipped over a couple of heads at the near post, but rules are rules.
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28 min: Great block by Magee! Norway cut Northern Ireland open down the right. Eventually Reiten squares the ball to Hegerberg, whose close-range shot is heroically blocked by the lunging Magee. That almost certainly saved a goal.
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27 min A rare Northern Ireland attack ends with Wade shooting wide from 20 yards.
25 min Hegerberg misses an excellent chance, heading back across goal and wide from Reiten’s inswinging cross. For a player of her class, particularly in the air, that was almost a sitter.
24 min Maanum, given a bit of space 25 yards from goal, hits an excellent low drive that is pushed round the post by the sprawling Burns. Good save.
23 min There’s a lot of focus on Hegerberg and Hansen, understandably so, but Guro Reiten really is a delightful footballer - stylish, flexible, imaginative and full of mischief. She’s causing Northern Ireland all kinds of problems.
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22 min: Good save from Burns! Another chance for Norway. Hansen, Reiten and Hegerberg combined beautifully to put Eikeland through on goal, and her poked first-time shot was well blocked by the outrushing Burns.
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21 min It’s all Norway now, with Northern Ireland’s early enthusiasm starting to disappear after the blow of those two goals.
16 min Almost a third goal, with Reiten’s pullback just behind Hegerberg in the area. Norway look so slick.
That was a nightmare for Northern Ireland. The keeper Burns played a short pass to McCarron, who was pressed effectively by Maanum. The ball ran to Hegerberg in the area, and she squared it to give Maanum an open goal.
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GOAL! Norway 2-0 Northern Ireland (Maanum 13)
And now Frida Maanum has made it two!
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13 min A crisp long-range strike from Maanum is well held to her right by Burns. These are dangerous times for Northern Ireland.
12 min Furness shoots over from distance. Northern Ireland have straight quite brightly in attack, with some very effective pressing.
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It was a simple goal, stemming from a throw-in on the right. Hegerberg and then Reiten, with a terrific reverse pass, moved the ball across the field to the overlapping Blakstad. She took a touch and drilled a low shot past Burns at the post.
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GOAL! Norway 1-0 Northern Ireland (Blakstad 10)
Julie Blakstad puts Norway ahead!
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9 min There’s a break in play while the ball is changed. What is this, cricket?
7 min Graham Hansen wriggles away from three players on the right and crosses towrds Reiten, who heads over from 12 yards. That wasn’t a bad chance. And it was a thrilling run from Graham Hansen.
4 min The first chance for Norway. Reiten clips a lovely pass through to Hegerberg, who moves into the area and is shaping to shoot when McFadden makes a vital lunging tackle. McFadden’s tackle knocks the ball onto Hegerberg, who shoots over the bar as a result.
4 min It’s been a bright start from Northern Ireland, with the wing-backs Vance and Magee seeing plenty of the ball.
2 min “Northern Ireland say they aren’t here to make up the numbers, but a 5-3-1-1 formation suggests otherwise,” says Tony D. “They are playing for a draw and will probably do the same against England. The lone striker and number 10 will be very isolated and Norway’s defence will have an easy time picking them up on the break. Presumably NI will have two wing backs, but they will need to be very disciplined to avoid being caught on the break. Possibly not too many goals tonight.”
I’d be inclined to see their tactics as pragmatic rather than defensive. If they go toe to toe with Norway, they’ve no chance.
1 min Peep peep! Norway kick off from right to left.
“Hello Rob,” writes Kári Tulinius. “Given that Kenny Shiels seems to have Northern Ireland lined up with eight in defence, it looks like he’s worried about the mismatch with Norway. Which I understand. Were I facing Ada Hegerberg and Caroline Graham Hansen, I’d be tempted to tell everyone to just stand on the goalline and hoof every ball into the sea.”
On a lovely summer’s evening in Southampton, the players on both sides walk onto the field - Norway in red, Northern Ireland in white. There’s a fine atmosphere, with a reported crowd of around 11,000.
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Northern Ireland are up against one of the all-time greats tonight: Ada Hegerberg, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner who recovered from an ACL injury to inspire Lyon to Champions League glory this year. And now she’s back with Norway too.
England started Euro 2022 with a slightly nervy 1-0 win over Austria last night. Here’s Karen Carney’s take on the game, and especially the performance of the little genius, Fran Kirby.
Anyone out there? Feel free to send in your hopes, dreams, fears, thoughts on the merits of a 5-3-1-1 system or anything else.
Pre-match listening
Our special Euro 2022 podcast, Women’s Football Weekly, will be jostling for position in your podcast feed throughout the tournament. You can listen to it there, or by clicking the link below.
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One of Northern Ireland’s star players is the Liverpool midfield Rachel Furness. She spoke to Louise Taylor about the impact of Northern Ireland’s qualification.
The lowdown on the two teams
Team news
The Northern Ireland captain Marissa Callaghan, who has been struggling with a toe injury, starts on the bench. Sarah McFadden will captain the team in her absence.
Norway (possible 4-4-1-1) Pettersen; Sonstevold, Mjelde, Thorisdottir, Blakstad; Eikeland, Maanum, Syrstad Engen, Reiten; Graham Hansen; Hegerberg.
Substitutes: Skoglund, Mikalsen, T Hansen, Bergsvand, Boe Risa, Saevik, Ildhusoy, Bjelde, Terland, S Hansen, Josendal, Haug.
Northern Ireland (possible 5-3-1-1) Burns; Magee, McFadden, Nelson, Burrows, Vance; McCarron, Furness, Caldwell; Wade; Magill.
Substitutes: Flaherty, Turner, McKenna, Hutton, Callaghan, McGuinness, Holloway, L Rafferty, McDaniel, Wilson, Andrews, McGuinness.
Referee Lina Lehtovaara (Finland).
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Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Norway v Northern Ireland at St Mary’s. There’s been a helluva lot of hype and excitement about this game, so it’s about time somebody put it in perspective: it’s only the most important game Northern Ireland women’s team have ever played. Forty-nine years after their first international match, a 4-1 defeat to the Republic of Ireland, they will play in a major tournament for the first time.
Whether because of nationality, gender, unconscious snobbery, most of us struggle to fully appreciate what tonight means for the women’s game in Northern Ireland. We know it’s historic, we wish them nothing but well, but the occasion doesn’t hit us in the viscera. How could it?
That creates a slightly uncomfortable feeling – we don’t want to underplay the occasion, but we don’t want to patronise Northern Ireland either. There is an elephant in the preamble: the likelihood of this being a mismatch. Although Northern Ireland are saying all the right things, they are realistic enough to know that their Euro 2022 impact is likely to be long-term, revealed by future generations, rather than immediate. By qualifying, they have changed the women’s football forever in Northern Ireland.
Anything that happens in the next nine days is a bonus. They are 250-1 outsiders to win this tournament and have been drawn in a seriously difficult group. Tonight’s opponents, Norway, beat them 6-0 home and away during qualification, and are among the excitingly large group of teams who could conceivably win the tournament. The attack of Caroline Graham Hansen and Ada Hegerberg – who retired from international football for five years after Norway’s disastrous Euro 2017 – will worry any defence in the tournament.
The tournament. Euro 2022. The one that includes Northern Ireland.
Kick off 8pm.
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