Norway to historic semi-finals at G19-EC
– I’m very proud of everyone. These guys deserve a lot, because before EC people called them team B and team C. And said that there would be a group stage and then the return trip. Now I think everyone can call them team A, because they are the best G19 team ever, coach Luis Pimenta told NRK.
Some of the best players at the G19 level, such as Andreas Schjelderup, Antonio Nusa and captain Isak Hansen-Aarøen, were not in the championship. The reason is that the championship has not yet added the official match period for the national team, so some clubs refuse to allow their players to play in the championship.
Norway was almost poised for the G19-EC semi-finals in their previous match against Iceland, but Iceland’s late equalizer left Norway needing a point against Spain on Monday night to ensure progress.
Spain have already qualified from the group and made a number of changes from earlier in the group stage for Monday’s game.
For Spain, at the same time, points will ensure that they win the group and thus a game where 0-0 is a good result for both teams.
Both teams had chances to score, and in the final part of the match Spain was clearly the leading team. Norway goalkeeper Magnus Rugland Ree was forced into action a few times, but he made no mistake and the game ended 0-0.
This year’s championship is the sixth time since the conversion to the G19 championship in 2002 that Norway has progressed from the group stage. Norway previously had a bronze medal from the G18 EC in 1992.
In the semifinals, Norway met another group winner, Portugal, while Spain met Italy. In the second match in the group also ended 0-0, between Greece and Iceland.
The semifinals will be played on Thursday.
– Now one game at a time. Then anything can happen. We will fight and give everything we can. So much is possible, Norway’s Benjamin Thoresen Faraas tells NRK.
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