Two penalties scored by Carole Costa contributed to a not entirely undeserved home win of the game. Norway still has reason to be angry with the referee, even though he ignored Portugal’s free kick at the start of one of Norway’s goals.

The winning goal came in the 69th minute after Catarina Amado tripped over substitute Mathilde Harviken’s leg during a running duel.

– That’s fine, but first of all I think it shouldn’t be a penalty. “We also should have had a free kick on the first score, and then it looks like we should have had a penalty early in the match,” stand-in coach Leif Gunnar Smerud told NRK.

He spoke about the situation when, after two minutes, Sophie Román Haug suffered a broken nose in a collision with Portuguese goalkeeper Inês Pereira.

– I will not comment on the referee, but I have seen better, said Smerud.

He was frank that his performance was not good.

Chaotic battle

– No, it’s very bad. The main point of the match plan was that we had to play an organized match, and we failed to do that. Instead, it was a very chaotic fight. “It’s very disappointing that we didn’t get a good result or a good performance,” he told NRK.

Frida Maanum and Elisabeth Terland scored for Norway, who again capitalized on several big opportunities. With one point from two games, Norway is five points behind group leaders and big favorites France. Maybe it was too much to take in.

The aim now is to put Portugal and Austria on their backs and avoid relegation or qualifying for continued A status.

Terland had several good chances to score, the last of which came in the 87th minute.

The match got off to a dramatic start when, after just over two minutes, Haug backed Pereira in the fight to get home a dangerous cross from Marit Bratberg Lund. Both should be treated for a few minutes and should be replaced.

– Maybe there should have been a penalty and an expulsion in that situation, Norway assistant coach Ingvild Stensland told NRK at the break.

Must be changed

Terland came on for the Norwegian striker, but Norway struggled. Portugal dominated, and after half-time Smerud switched from 4-2-3-1 to 4-5-1 to gain better control.

There is no VAR in the women’s national league, and in the 27th minute Norway had another decision against them when Terland got a pass from Maanum and scored. He was sent off for what appeared to be a questionable offside.

In the 32nd minute, Norway was still able to celebrate. The team got the ball back well, and Ingrid Syrstad Engen passed to Reiten, who crossed to Maanum. From 17 metres, he eased the ball with a fine arc onto the furthest cross.

The lead only lasted five minutes. Then there were many losing duels and bad sweeps in the Norwegian team, and ended with an attempted sweep of Reiten by Andreia Jacinto. The Chelsea player probably should have had a free kick when he was brought down by Diana Silva, but five Norwegian players managed to control the ball in the attack, but did not get through.

Crime drama

Norway’s dissatisfaction with the referee increased in the 42nd minute. Aurora Mikalsen and Tuva Hansen seemed to control Ana Capeta’s cross towards Silva’s goal. Mikalsen also had the ball before the Portuguese went down, but it was a penalty kick.

Goalkeeper Brann also had a penalty from Carole Costa, but the ball went in.

– We had to increase the pressure a bit to get some play in the opposition’s midfield, Stensland told NRK as he announced Norway’s two substitutions at the break.

Norway’s game got better in the second half. In the 58th minute, Terland came alone with the goalkeeper after good attacking play from Reiten, but the goalkeeper responded with a great save. One minute later Maanum fed Terland, and then the score was 2-2.

Ahead of the goal, the referee ignored the free kick taken by substitute Lisa Naalsund.

Amado then fell in a running duel with Harviken so Costa was able to score two goals. Although there were several good chances for Norway, it was the last goal of the match.

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