Norway recorded a 3-1 victory over Wales in their UEFA Nations League League A Group 4 encounter at the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo on Saturday, November 14, boosting their chances of reaching the quarter-finals.
Antonio Nusa, Andreas Schjelderup and Erling Haaland were on target for Norway, while David Brooks scored the only goal for Wales in a match that saw all four goals come in the second half.
Wales started the game brightly and created several chances, with Daniel James causing problems for the Norwegian defence. However, goalkeeper Egil Selvik and his defenders prevented the visitors from taking the lead.
Norway also had opportunities through captain Martin Odegaard and striker Haaland, but both teams went into the break without scoring.
The hosts returned stronger after the interval and took the lead in the 59th minute. Nusa collected the ball following a poorly cleared corner before cutting inside and firing a powerful shot into the bottom corner.
Norway doubled their lead in the 68th minute through substitute Schjelderup. Haaland played an unselfish pass across the penalty area, allowing the winger to score from close range.
Wales responded by bringing on David Brooks, who made an immediate impact. The substitute pulled one back in the 79th minute with a fine finish over the advancing Selvik, giving the visitors hope of a comeback.
However, Norway restored their two-goal advantage in the 88th minute after Schjelderup was brought down inside the penalty area by Connor Roberts.
Following a VAR review, the referee awarded a penalty, which Haaland calmly converted to seal the victory.
The goal took Haaland’s international tally to 66 in 60 appearances for Norway, further extending his record as the country’s highest goalscorer.
The victory leaves Norway with six points from five matches, level with second-placed Denmark, while Portugal lead the group with 12 points. Wales remain bottom with three points.
Norway will now face Denmark in their final group match, with the result expected to play a major role in determining their chances of reaching the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Wales are guaranteed to finish bottom of Group A4 and will face Portugal in their final fixture on Tuesday. However, they could still avoid automatic relegation depending on the overall ranking of the bottom-placed teams across League A.
