So that’s that . . . Nothing flashy from the visitors, who sat in and took advantage of their aerial dominance with two goals from set pieces. But a win nonetheless and a home defeat for Ireland. The hosts did improve in the second half, scored a brilliant goal from Alan Browne and created some half chances. Evan Ferguson came on for his debut. But overall a poor result. Next up Stephen Kenny’s team head to Malta for another friendly on Sunday, and hopefully a positive end to the year.
We’ve a match report and reaction to come from the Aviva so keep an eye out for those on the homepage. Scroll down and look back on the action as it unfolded below, and thanks for joining us.
FT Ireland 1 Norway 2
A look at the second half goals...
Alan Browne’s brilliant effort for Ireland
And then the winner for the visitors ...
FT Ireland 1 Norway 2 Ireland have a throw in on halfway. This will be their last chance. They play it back and go long but it’s headed away by Ostigard. And that’ll be that. Norway take the win from the Aviva.
Ireland 1 Norway 2 (92′) Collins picks out Robinson with a crossfield pass but his attempt to chest it down the line first time, goes wrong. Two minutes left for Ireland to try and get into an attacking area.
Ireland 1 Norway 2 (90′) Four minutes added on. As Ireland struggle to play it out of their backline. The midfield offering very little.
Ireland 1 Norway 2 (88′) Alan Browne is replaced by 18 year-old Evan Ferguson. On for his debut!
Ireland 1 Norway 2 (84′) Odegaard clips in a free-kick. Collins’ header isn’t his strongest one and it comes back off Ohi Omoijuanfo and the substitute reacts quickest to bury a shot under Bazunu. Goal! Another set piece late in the half, like their first goal.
Ireland 1 Norway 1 (80′) Heading into the final 10 minutes and both teams have been pretty scrappy in possession over the past few minutes. Robinson then finds space between the lines again and plays through Ogbene who shows his pace to reach the pass. He cuts inside and tries to play it back to Robinson but it’s cut out. Some nice play between the two of them. Jeff Hendrick is on for Molumby.
Ireland 1 Norway 1 (76′) Robinson races on to a ball over the top, he fakes a left footed shot and then goes right footed but his low effort is easily saved. Ireland adding some variety to their play, in a much improved second half so far.
Ireland 1 Norway 1 (73′) Robbie Brady and Chiedozie Ogbene are on for Ireland (O’Dowda and Obafemi are off) after Elyounoussi headed over at the end of a Norway counter attack. Ireland are committing a lot more players forward and there’s a lot more energy in their play, but they’ve looked a little open on the counter.
Ireland 1 Norway 1 (68′) Cullen picks Doherty out with a beautiful diagonal pass, the sort that Ireland have played a lot more of in the second half which is really speeding up their play. Doherty’s cross is well dealt with. It’s worked out then to the left flank where another good cross is headed clear. But this time Browne picks it up outside of the box and has a go. And what a strike! Into the bottom left corner, GOAL!!
Ireland 0 Norway 1 (65′) The visitors replace their left and right back in response perhaps to some increased threat coming from the Irish wing backs.
Ireland 0 Norway 1 (61′) Robinson dispossess the Norwegian defence, takes the ball on himself and pulls it across goal but Obafemi can’t get a foot on it. Ireland still have it and Doherty sends in a lovely cross back post but O’Dowda’s header is straight at Nyland.
Ireland 0 Norway (58′) Norway play in Ola Solbakken with some lovely first time football, but his effort from a tight angle is well saved by Bazunu. At the other end Doherty sends in a dangerous cross but neither Robinson nor Obafemi can rise to it. It’s through to O’Dowda at the back post and his shot across goal again beats the two Irish forwards.
Ireland 0 Norway 1 (53′) Robinson and O’Dowda combine again and Obafemi then gets on it in the box and his cross is deflected out for a corner. This time O’Shea attacks it well to win another corner. Ireland attack the follow on corner once more and the clearance is a poor one. Ireland chip it back in and Browne has his shot saved at point blank range by Ørjan Nyland. So close!
Ireland 0 Norway 1 (51′) It’s recycled out to O’Dowda who wins a throw-in. O’Dowda then flicks the ball through for Robinson who puts in a decent cross. Norway fail to deal with it and it fumbles off Egan’s shin from close range. He didn’t expect that to fall through to him. Better from Ireland.
Ireland 0 Norway 1 (49′) Doherty cuts out a poor crossfield pass, plays it into Molumby who turns his man well and wins a free-kick. Robinson drills it at the wall and it’s out for a corner. Norway head it clear once more.
Ireland 0 Norway 1 (46′) Ireland get the second half underway, and there were no changes in personnel for either team at the interval.
And now for a look at a video of that goal. A brilliant header by the Napoli centre back. In an otherwise very flat game of football. Lots of flat passing and a flat crowd. Much improvement needed from Ireland in the second half. Chiedozie Ogbene will be sure to add some energy, and maybe a run out for Smallbone and Ferguson might give things a lift too...
HT Ireland 0 Norway 1 An excellent pass from John Egan to Doherty on the run down the right flank goes under the Tottenham right back’s boot and he has to scramble to stop it from going out for a goal kick. On the stroke of 45 minutes the referee blows the half time whistle.
Ireland 0 Norway 1 (40′) It’s Norway who are now passing it around their back line, they work it upfield and Larsen does well to hold it up and win a free kick. Odegaard puts in a good floated delivery but Nathan Collins heads it away and then blocks it out for a corner. This time it’s whipped in with pace and Leo Ostigard meets it with a powerful header into the bottom corner. GOAL!
Ireland 0 Norway 0 (33′) Robinson is robbed on halfway, Berg plays in Mohamed Elyounoussi but Nathan Collins does well to come across and hold him up. The ball gets caught in the Norwegian’s feet and Cullen gets the tackle in. A let off for Ireland.
Ireland 0 Norway 0 (31′) Just past the half hour mark and Ireland have another corner - their third of the half - but again it’s headed clear. Norway look to counter but Doherty is sharp and does well as the last man back.
Ireland 0 Norway 0 (27′) A teasing free-kick in by Norway comes off Bazunu’s shoulder - he didn’t know much about that - and Ireland counter. Browne clears it to Jayson Molumby who holds it up for Doherty. It’s worked in to Browne but with a counter on his first time pass to the left wing is the wrong option and is intercepted.
Ireland 0 Norway 0 (25′) Ireland work it out to O’Dowda - who has made a lively start - and he gets to the inline and crosses deep. Doherty meets it at the back post but it’s blocked for another corner. Another corner that’s comfortably cleared by Norway.
Ireland 0 Norway 0 (22′) A strong John Egan header clears the danger for Ireland, but Norway come again and O’Dowda recovers well from a pass in behind him, to clear for a corner. Norway take it short and work it to Patrick Berg on the edge of the box but he blasts it over. Then Gavin Bazunu gives away a half chance with a poor intercepted pass, but Jorgen Strand Larsen’s shot is over the crossbar.
Ireland 0 Norway 0 (19′) Matt Doherty collects a loose crossfield pass. Robinson gathers it between the lines and his switch of play is just a little short and allows the Norway left back to get a toe to it. Ireland’s counter press has been excellent but this time Browne comes in a little late on Martin Odegaard.
Ireland 0 Norway 0 (15′) An alert John Egan cuts across, gets to the ball ahead of Morten Thorsby and plays it out off him for an Irish throw-in. Ireland regain control with a good switch of play and then look to pass it out again.
Ireland 0 Norway 0 (12′) Josh Cullen skips by a challenge and plays a lovely pass out to O’Dowda. His cross has too much on it for Michael Obafemi. It’s cleared but only as far as Alan Browne who is fouled. The free kick, like the corner before it, is well dealt with by the visitors.
Ireland 0 Norway 0 (10′) Alan Browne links the play well and frees up Callum O’Dowda, his cross is blocked out for a corner. The first of the match. But it’s headed clear by Norway.
Ireland 0 Norway 0 (8′) Norway look happy to let the Irish team pass around their backline, but the hosts are struggling to work the ball out wide quickly (aside from an excellent crossfield pass from Dara O’Shea). Lots of possession early on for Ireland but Norway have been very comfortable.
Ireland 0 Norway 0 (4′) The first shot of the game comes from the left foot of Callum Robinson, from outside of the box. A good effort but it blazes over the bar.
Ireland 0 Norway 0 (2′) GAME ON! Norway kick us off at the Aviva. Ireland press well early on to win back possession and are happy to keep it!
So there are four changes to the Irish team from the 3-2 win over Armenia in the Nations League at the end of September. Recently named player of the year Josh Cullen comes into the middle of the park, while there’s starts too for Alan Browne, Callum O’Dowda and Callum Robinson. Will Smallbone and Evan Ferguson are named on the bench and in line to win their first caps.
We’re less than 10 minutes from kick-off at a cold, but dry and calm Aviva. Which is starting to fill up.
Norway manager Ståle Solbakken has been very outspoken in his views on the upcoming World Cup in Qatar (fair play to him!). Talking to the Irish media this week he says Fifa made the “biggest mistake” and the world in general was too slow in highlighting its concerns . . .
[ Norway manager critical of World Cup in Qatar and won’t be attending eventOpens in new window ]
“Norway come without two strikers, Haaland and Aelxander Sorloth of Real Sociedad, with 35 international goals between them, and while Arsenal’s Martin Ødegaard will lead from midfield, the Irish players may feel the need to reward their patient and loyal supporters with an end of year performance in Dublin to atone for the mini-collapse against Armenia last September.”
Check out Gavin Cummiskey’s preview in full here
TEAM NEWS
Hello and welcome . . . We’re just three days from the World Cup kicking off in Qatar, but here in Dublin it’s all about Stephen Kenny’s Ireland side who host Norway in tonight’s international friendly at the Aviva Stadium. Kick off is at 7.45pm.
It’ll be a Norway team without the injured Erling Haaland, albeit the likes of Martin Odegaard will present a good challenge for the hosts. Unbeaten in eight of their nine previous home matches, playing good football and with the fans behind them - tonight is the first of two friendlies in the space of four days for Ireland. They’re away to Malta on Sunday.
In expectation of a look at Haaland in the flesh, but now just in hope of an Irish win, almost 45,000 tickets have been sold and there should be a lively atmosphere in the stadium.
We’ll keep you up to date throughout, live from the Aviva. Keep in touch via Twitter (@DonoghueEamon) but for now, let’s get started!!
