Norway national team 2009

[Alan]

I ran the video clip of the goal a few times and the ball was going in and the keeper did not seem to have it covered, but then it was definitely deflected sideways, towards the keeper - but by a fluke it went over her head.  It look to me that the toe that deflected the ball belonged to the player on Lise's left shoulder.  I don't think Lise's foot was high enough.  They are giving the goal to Biroova on altomfotball.  

[Samuel Vimes]

Yeah, agreed. Not Lise's goal.

78 minutes: Maren Mjelde shoots from 25 metres, too much air under it and too straight.
79 minutes: Fecko out, 15 Susko in.
80 minutes: Not much support from the backs, Norway have too much space between their players and eventually give the ball away.
81 minutes: Storløkken eventually clear up a situation. Can see she's not a natural defender nor a side-player though...
82 minutes: Hopeless, hopeless passing.
84 minutes: Game meandering towards 1-0 - Norway have been on go-slow since the goal, Slovakia not capable of going forward.
87 minutes: Finally, Norway hit four passes in around the direction they want to be, with Pedersen falling down in a duel with the keeper after the cross from Gulbrandsen. Klaveness tries to dribble a couple of times to get a clear shot, but eventually hits the underside of the bar. Should have been 2-0.
Commentators moaning about the referee, as the Slovak keeper ran into Pedersen. Was going for the ball though...
90 minutes: Slovakia, needing a goal, occasionally have one player in Norway's half.
92 minutes: Klaveness heads a free kick over.

Ratings

Hjelmseth 6
Huse 4
Mjelde 6
Skammelsrud Lund 5
Storløkken 3
Giske 5
Stensland 4
Gulbrandsen 4
Klaveness 4
Herlovsen 4
Thorsnes 3
Kaurin 6

would have written more, but really, team effort not worth it. Wasted couple of hours.

[Alan]

Highlights are on: http://webtv.tv2.no/webtv/sumo/?progId=356117   

[Alan]

Skien: Norway's women struggled against Slovakia this evening but it ended in a 1-0 win for them.  Norway did not score themselves this time, and it was an own-goal by a Slovak defender that brought the three points.  The play was tame in the autumn cool.

Eli Landsem debuted as the new trainer of the team with a 3-0 win over the Netherlands.  Then there were only 400 spectators.  On Wednesday at Odd Grenland's attractive arena there were 1055 in the crowd.

"I am delighted to have three points.  It was a struggle, but it was better after half time and we had reasonably good control.  We must be pleased with maximum points", said Lansem, who said the next international match would be against England at La Manga on January 15.

Norway's attack played a very weak first half and created little, but Landsem changed from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3 and it produced a little more speed.  Alexandra Biroova scored an own goal when she steered a cross into goal under pressure from Lise Klaveness.  The goal came from short range after a free kick by Leni Larsen Kaurin.  They thought it should not have been a free kick but took full advantage.  Kaurin came on for the second half but had to be helped off the pitch after 20 minutes play with an injured right ankle.

Norway's best player was Solveig Gulbrandsen.  She showed a lot of skills but her teammates failed to follow up with her.  Isabell Herlovsen did not have her best evening with neither passes not shots behaving as they should.  She was replaced by Cecilie Pedersen some time before the finish.

Slovakia are on their way up.  In 1995 Norway won 17-0 over the same nation in qualification for the European Cup.  

Norway will not play their next qualification match for the 2011 World Cup until next March when they meet Macedonia, a team that Slovakia has just beaten 9-0.  Belarus and Netherlands are also in the group on the long road to qualification.

After Wednesday's win Solveig Gulbrandsen said that she would continue for another year on the national team.  "I am getting good backup from my family. They say that I should not give up until I am bored with it, and I am not", she said.

As recently as September after the European Cup Gulbrandsen said that she would play these two matches before deciding about her future.  After the weekend's match against the Netherlands she made it clear that the will to continue was there, but the opinons of her husband and son would weigh heavily.  "I have taken stock with myself and my family, and I am continuing", she said, but she is not promising too much.  "I am taking one year at a time".

But the summer of 2011 brings the World Cup finals in Germany.  It would be a pity to finish just before that, if Norway qualifies.  Then one year later it is the London Olympics.  Perhaps not a bad time to call it a day for a player who will be 'only' 31 years old.

Gulbrandsen is the only present player from the Norway team that won gold in the Sydney Olympics.  Chief trainer Eli Landsem has made it clear that Gulbrandsen is a key player and really wants her to continue.

ANB-NTB http://www.ba.no/sport/article4672034.ece
Video: http://msn.tv2sporten.no/fotball/landslag/gulbrandsen-fortsetter-paa-landslaget-2979399.html
More videos: http://www.fotball.no/VideoTV/NFF-TV/

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[Alan]

Younger players are coming forward in Norway's team at the same time as Solveig Gulbrandsen is taking another year with the flag on her shirt.

Marita Skammelsrud Lund and Maren Mjelde are two of the promising young players who have many years ahead of them.  19-year-old Maren Mjelde has this season played herself into a steady place as a starter in the women's national team.  When her usual partner at centre-back, Trine Rønning, was not available for the Solvakia match, 21-year-old Marita Skammelsrud Lund stepped in with bravura.  It looks good for the future of the team.

"This season has exceeded all expectations.  It has got better and better, and I have played in everything there was to play in.  With luck I have many years in front of me in the national team", said Maren Mjelde to fotball.no.  She thinks the age mix in the squad is good, and that it is important that the young players should benefit from the experience.

"It is very positive for us that the experienced players are there.  It's good to people around who have played a lot.  They help us gain experience", said Mjelde, who has been captaining Arna-Bjørnar in the Toppserien in the autumn season.

Marita Skammelsrud Lund agrees.  She is happy that veteran Solveig Gulbrandsen has made up her mind to play for another year.  "I am glad to hear it.  It's very important to have a mix.  Players like Solveig give security to the team.  We have an exciting team now", she thinks.

The Team Strømmen centre-back has not been a regular starter in the national team this season but hopes it will come eventually.  "It is what everyone dreams of, but just now I think Trine and Maren play well together.  I have to try to get into the team every time, and take any chance that comes along".

She makes no secret of her thought that Skammelsrud Lund - Mjelde could be a good central-defence pair for Norway in the years to come.  "I know Maren well from the national youth teams and we are good friends.  It's extremely simple to play alongside her", said Skammelsrud Lund.

The match against Slovakia was not a simple affair.  The visitors were structured defensively and lay low with many players.  Norway had most of the play in the first half and created several useful half-chances, but were never very dangerous in front of Slovaika's keeper Lenka Gadzikova.  The away team also created very little, but after 35 minutes they had a good chance.  Jana Rozikova was played free in the back room, but her finish went straight to keeper Ingrid Hjelmseth.

Norway's biggest chance came in first-half stoppage time.  A good corner came into the throng in front of goal.  Several Norwegian players tried to work the ball into goal, but the attempts were blocked.

After half time the Norwegians raised themselves and already after six minutes there was a goal.  A free kick from Leni Larsen Kaurin came in towards the back post and Lise Klaveness's unfortunate marker got a toe to it under pressure, deflecting it towards the keeper but over her head for an own goal.  Klaveness herself was very close to scoring two minutes before the end but put her shot on to the crossbar.

Eli Landsem has had a good start with six points from two matches, very important in the difficult qualification process for the World Cup.  "First and foremost I am pleased that we took the points, but I was not pleased with our performance.  In the first half we were imprecise and heavy.  After the break it was a little better", she thinks.

It was the national team's last match of the year, and the chief knows what she will use the winter for.  "There are alway things that need attention, but we have a lot of good players in the team", she said.

NORGE – SLOVAKIA 1-0 (0-0)
Stadium: Skagerak Arena.
Spectators: 1055.
Referee: Amy Rayner, England.
Yellow card: Dana Feckova, Jana Roziakova – Slovakia.
Goal: 0-1 og (51).

Norway (4-4-2):
Ingrid Hjelmseth –
Camilla Huse, Marita Skammelsrud Lund, Maren Mjelde, Lene Storløkken –
Solveig Gulbrandsen, Ingvild Stensland, Anneli Giske, Lise Klaveness –
Isabell Herlovsen (Cecilie Pedersen 86), Elise Thorsnes (Leni Larsen Kaurin 46, Marie Knutsen 69).  

Erlend Aas http://www.fotball.no/Landslag_og_toppfotball/Landslag/A-kvinner/2009/Gode-fremtidsutsikter-for-fotballjentene/  

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[Alan]

When Eli Landsem had to choose a captain for the 'new' Norway team, she was never in doubt about Ingvild Stensland.

"Just as under Bjarne Berntsen, Ingvild has done the job of captain very well.  She has a big understanding of the play and a good passing foot, so it was not a difficult choice", said the trainer to the Kristiansand paper Fædrelandsvennen that covers Stensland's home area of south Norway.  "I never really thought about another player as captain.  She takes responsibility and the team listens when she speaks".

"She is mentally very strong which was very important when we struggled against Slovakia.  When she does well it affects the rest of the team - she was and is a playmaker", said the chief about her captain.

Stensland has three goals from her 87 matches in the national team, and thrives as the captain.  "I took the captain's armband for these two matches and we have not spoken about what happens afterwards.  But as things looks now I reckon I will carry on", said the Lyngdal player.

"I can't see a reason to change.  She is a leader and I don't want to make an alteration", said Eli Landsem.

Nicolai Olsen http://fotball.adressa.no/kvlandslag/article154358.ece

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[Alan]

The Norway team is taking a break from qualification with maximum points.  But now the matches will be tougher, against England, USA, Sweden and Norway's U-17 and U-18 teams.  "We need to develop our play at a higher tempo", said Eli Landsem after a mediocre display against Slovakia.

The new chief was very pleased with the wins and the three points, which mean that Norway has six out of six points and a 4-0 goal difference in the group.  "Good to win but we were tight, imprecise and moved poorly in the first half", said Landsem.

The team will now have some stronger opponents to try themselves against, in January and at La Manga.  On January 15 they will meet European Cup finalists England, and then they will try their luck against USA, Sweden and Iceland.  Then they will meet boys' teams for tough opposition.  "They need that", said the trainer.

Slovakia has lifted their profile in women's football, and won 9-0 against Macedonia the the first group match before defending themselves well at the Skagerak Arena yesterday.  Norway needed an own-goal to win the match, which happened when Lise Klaveness and Alexandra Biroova threw themselves at a free kick.  Biroova tried to keep Klaveness off, but touched the ball last.  "I also touched it at one point", said Klaveness, but she did not claim the honour of scoring.  She was pleased with the three points.  "We knew that Slovakia were better than their reputation.  This was a good result for us, I am very pleased.  But we should have scored more, and I should have as well", said the Stabæk player who hit the crossbar three minutes before the end.

Arild Sandven http://fotball.adressa.no/kvinner/article154304.ece

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[law10]

The Algarve in February is:

China
Denmark
Finland
Germany
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
USA

USA v. Norway open on the 26th.

[Samuel Vimes]

Semi-related: Netherlands dropped points at home to Belarus today, meaning that Norway will win the group as long as they win their five remaining matches against Slovakia, Belarus and FYR Macedonia. (Though there's still the danger of becoming unseeded if they lose in the Netherlands.)

[Bonnie Lass]

From the Iceland FAs Web site:

Group B:
2-24-2010 USA - Iceland
2-24-2010 Sweden - Norway

2-26-2010 Iceland - Sweden
2-26-2010 USA - Norway

3-1-2010 Iceland - Norway
3-1-2010 USA - Sweden

(The dates on these may or may not change.)

[Samuel Vimes]

Plus a placement match on March 3, presumably.

But isn't that for the 2010 thread?

[Bonnie Lass]

Do we have a 2010 thread?

    

[Samuel Vimes]

Fair point...

the 2010 thread we should have, then. 

[Bonnie Lass]

And technically, it is still 2009. And the news was released in 2009, so ...

(I'm in a goofy mood today. Apologies. )

[Alan]

The women's national team will be playing against boys' teams every Wedenesday from January 4 next year.  "Boys are the key", said trainer Eli Landsem, the team's new trainer.  She wants to make her players tougher and teach them new techniques.  "It's all about playing at a high level", said Landsem, who has arranged that the team will play against a boys' team from Wang Top Sports School, equivalent to a 6th-form sports college, in Oslo.

"The matches will take place at the Manglerud Hall at 8.00 a.m. every Wednesday.  We can do that because very many of the players, 16-20 out of a squad of 25, live in and around Oslo", she said.

Landsem has discovered in the last few days that several of Norway's best players wish to try their luck in foreign clubs.  Solveig Gulbrandsen is on her way to America, while Isabell Herlovsen and Christine Colombo Nilsen are in place in the French club Olympique Lyonnaise.  Melissa Wiik has said that she is on the way out of Stabæk but has not said where she will go.  "Also there are two or three more hoping for foreign contracts", said the chief.

But Landsem is going ahead with her plans.  "It means that we also have to make arrangements for the players in Bergen and Trondheim.  Cecilie Pedersen has already got permission to play in the boys' team at Avaldsnes", she said.  Landsem has already been round to make plans for the players who will be training at their own clubs, and is keeping in close touch with the trainers.  "I feel I am following the players very well, and have tried to make sure they are in a good environment", she said.

In the last years not so many Norwegian players have been taken up by foreign clubs.  Now the possibilities are higher.  

"Is it a strength or a weakness that some of the best players are moving out?" - "It can work both ways.  If they end up in good foreign clubs that is only a positive thing for us.  It says a lot that we are producing players who are attractive to foreign clubs - it's a good sign.  On the other hand it isn't so good for the Toppserien clubs here, who are losing their star players".

Mette Bugge http://fotball.adressa.no/kvlandslag/article157628.ece    

[Alan]

And technically, it is still 2009. And the news was released in 2009, so ... (I'm in a goofy mood today. Apologies. )

For the youth teams there's a good case for changing the year when the squad is changed after the year's big championship.  Half the team drops out and another set of hopefuls comes in.  It doesn't really work that way for the senior team. 

[law10]

As she say's it devalues the local currency but unless you are contractually binding national funding to playing in the Toppserien, competing with larger soccer economies is a lost cause.  And having the best players graduate also opens the door to younger players to take over the reigns as the new upper echelon.

What is a 6th-form sport college?

[Samuel Vimes]

What is a 6th-form sport college?

"6th-form" is the English translation of "videregående skole" I suspect. It's the final step of secondary education here - three years, people enter at 16 and leave at 19 (so it's currently supposed to be for those born in 1991 to 1993).

Wang is a privately run high school; it has a class for athletes, who want to be able to coordinate training and studying to get a degree qualifying for university. Their list of graduates includes for example Stig Inge Bjørnebye (Liverpool left back for about 10 years), Dan Eggen (the Kolbotn coach formerly of several European clubs, had about 30 caps), an many current Vålerenga male players. Not that many girls, but Tonje Hansen (reputed goalscorer at Kolbotn), Anette Nybø (currently struggling to break into Stabæk) and Ingrid Schjelderup (Kolbotn midfielder who moved to Linköping this winter).

So the football team there is likely to be of quite a high standard - certainly better than what Pedersen faces in Avaldsnes - if it played together in the leagues it might make the top twenty in the country at U19 level I'd say (their players would be playing for different clubs around the city and quite possibly at different age levels).

This article filled the back page of Aftenposten's paper version today by the way. Along with a pic of Eli Landsem watching the players run in front of the camera. (It looks like they're training at Bislett stadium, but it's a fuzzy picture.)

[Samuel Vimes]

For the youth teams there's a good case for changing the year when the squad is changed after the year's big championship.  Half the team drops out and another set of hopefuls comes in.  It doesn't really work that way for the senior team. 

Well, you made a new thread last year 

[law10]

Odd that not more Toppserien players have come through it.  You would also think that with the progressive women's football culture in Norway there would be a specialized school combining education and football for girls.  Kind of a factory for the Toppserien and national team.