– We had a good goalkeeper today who saved us on several occasions. “His age is quite helpful, at the same time he doesn’t have much national team experience, but it’s like he has played fifty international games,” said national team captain Maren Mjelde after the 2-1 win over Denmark.

Goalkeeper Vålerenga is an experienced club player, but the 30-year-old has only three matches with the flag on his chest and it wasn’t until April of this year that he made his national team debut.

While Cecilie Fiskerstrand recently broke her cruciate ligament, it was uncertain who would enter the European Cup as the first goalkeeper.

Few people wonder now.

– No, it’s clear now. Guro Pettersen took the opportunity with both hands. He has become one of the best in Norway and is performing very confidently and well. He made two very important saves today, said NRK football expert Carl-Erik Torp who was impressed by what he showed in the last two training matches.

Check out some of Pettersen’s saves here:

– Build confidence

Against Denmark he made some very important saves. Among other things, he stopped Denmark star Pernille Harder when he came alone towards goal in the 80th minute.

When the match was over, many Norwegian players ran and strangled his neck.

– It’s always a pleasure to be a part of contributing to the win, he said and continued:

– Winning matches always builds confidence.

One week before Norway play their opening match in the European Championship against Northern Ireland, it is imperative that Norway have a final chance with confidence, the national team captain believes.

– I have followed Guro all year and see that he has done very well for Vålerenga. “And I think from day one here in precamp, he’s been defensive and solid, and I think that’s really cool because he’s done that in combat as well,” Mjelde said.

Double ride

Pettersen wasn’t the only one with Guro as his first name who made a big contribution to Norway’s win at Viborg. Guro Reiten was in excellent form during the day, scoring both of Norway’s goals.

The second and decisive 2-1 goal came in the 52nd minute after wonderful preparation from Caroline Graham Hansen and Ada Hegerberg, before Reiten slotted a cool ball into the bottom left corner.

– It gives confidence and a good feeling. “There are things we have to improve on, but I also think that there are quite a few good ones, especially in the first place,” Reiten told NRK.

He also earned the trust of the club, as after the New Year he had scored nine goals for Chelsea and won the draw and the FA Cup.

See all scores here:

Crisis begins for Norway

But at the start of the match, it looked dark from Norway’s point of view.

For 3,500 spectators at the stadium in Viborg barely had time to sit down before Denmark took the lead. Sara Holmgaard hit the post perfectly into the box against Signe Bruun who stabbed the ball into the net after just 50 seconds of play.

With ten minutes into play, Denmark captain Pernille Harder came very close to doubling the lead, after a weak clearance from Maria Thorisdottir, but his shot went at the post and went out.

– We see a very frustrated Norwegian team here, and some who attack with their hands, Torp comments midway through the first half.

In the last half of the half, Norway came back, and both Hansen and Hegerberg hit some semi-good finishes, but it was Reiten who scored.

The first goal came after 40 minutes. Amalie Eikeland won the ball high on the pitch and started the Norwegian attack. The ball ends with Reiten reaching outside the box. Through the Danes, the ball goes into the net and equalizes in the box.

After the break, it only took a few minutes before Reiten sent Norway ahead.

Satisfied national team manager

National team manager Martin Sjögren thought the match was a step in the right direction before the team now immediately goes to England and the European Football Championship.

– You don’t want a start like that, he said and aimed to score Denmark’s early goal.

The national team manager still believes that the team is playing better now than they did in the previous game against New Zealand.

– Denmark are good opponents and we won a rather difficult away game in our rehearsal for the European Championship. We should be happy with that.

• The European Championship play-offs begin on July 6. Norway’s opening match will be played the following day against Northern Ireland at St. Mary’s in Southampton. Then the host countries England (11/7) and Austria (15/7) await in Brighton.