Norway had two tough opening matches in the World Cup, but in the final round they made short work of the Philippines and advanced as second in the group behind Switzerland.
Against Japan in the round of 16, the neighboring country in the west would have a really tough start. This after offensive star Ingrid Syrstad Engen unluckily steered 0-1 for Japan.
– My soul hurts, she has had a bad championship, a terrible moment, says the Norwegian expert Alexander Schau in NRK about Ingrid Engen.
Ingrid Engen herself was noticeably taken after the match.
– I have never been so tired after a match before. We gave everything, but it wasn’t enough, she said in NRK.
Japan took the lead – through another Norwegian mistake
The equalizer came not long after, but the rest of the half was goalless. Norway defended well, apart from the fatal own goal.
But it wouldn’t last long. Another big mistake would be behind Japan’s lead in the 51st minute. Vilde Böe Risa passed into his own penalty area and thus freed Risa Shimizu. She made no mistakes in front of goal and Norway was careless again.
With just over ten minutes left, the tournament’s top scorer Hinata Miyazawa made it 3-1 with her fifth goal of the tournament. It was the last of the match and Norway’s fate in the tournament is now clear.
Sour comments from the Norwegian side
Afterwards, the Norwegian press corps was critical of Norway’s tournament.
“On the state television channel, the whole of Norway saw how bad it is in our old parade branch,” writes Norwegian The daily newspaper about the exodus.
NRKthe state channel in question, delivered through its commentator Christian Nilssen a sour comment.
– People sit here disappointed considering that we have a proud Norwegian WC tradition and that we have good players in top clubs.
Sweden gets Japan in the quarter-finals if they advance against the USA tomorrow.
