First-half finishes from Julie Blakstad and Frida Maanum, plus a Caroline Graham Hansen penalty, put the two-time European champions on the right track for a routine success to dampen an historic event for his or her opponents.
Defender Julie Nelson – Northern Eire’s most-capped feminine participant – gave the competitors’s lowest-ranked nation transient hope of an unlikely comeback by heading in a landmark purpose simply after the interval.
Northern Eire have been outclassed on their main match debut as Norway romped to a complete 4-1 Euro 2022 victory in Southampton.
However Guro Reiten’s free-kick sealed a routine success for Martin Sjogren’s facet to maneuver them stage on three factors with hosts England on the high of Group A.
A troublesome night for Kenny Shiels’ underdogs was compounded by ahead Simone Magill – who has simply moved from Everton to Aston Villa – leaving the sphere in tears late on as a result of damage.
Following Wednesday night’s record-breaking Previous Trafford attendance of 68,871 for the championship opener, a extra modest crowd of 9,146 turned out within the St Mary’s sunshine, with a sizeable contingent from every nation.
Norway – winners of this competitors in 1987 and 1993 – twice thrashed their opponents 6-0 in qualifying and swiftly had Northern Eire staring down the barrel of one other heavy defeat by capitalising on a string of defensive lapses.
Manchester Metropolis midfielder Blakstad claimed the Tenth-minute opener, beating goalkeeper Jackie Burns at her close to submit with a low, left-footed drive after right-back Abbie Magee was caught nicely out of place.
Arsenal participant Maanum swiftly doubled the benefit.
She dispossessed Chloe McCarron simply exterior the Northern Eire 18-yard field following a poorly executed goal-kick and was then left with a easy end into an unguarded internet after receiving the ball again from the unselfish Ada Hegerberg.
Whereas Shiels’ crew confirmed spurts of enterprise on the break, the one-way visitors continued.
Burns produced a pair of high-quality saves, earlier than 2018 Ballon d’Or recipient Hegerberg squandered two golden probabilities to stretch the lead, together with being denied a tap-in as Magee atoned for her earlier error with an excellent last-ditch block.
Northern Eire have been often being carved open and as soon as once more contributed to their very own downfall as the sport successfully ended as contest within the thirty first minute.
VAR intervened after Nadene Caldwell inexplicably dealt with the ball in her personal field following an inswinging nook, permitting spectacular Barcelona star Hansen to confidently dispatch the resultant spot-kick past the fingertips of the diving Burns.
Shiels, whose squad comprises 13 part-time gamers, responded to a troublesome opening interval by bringing on veteran captain Marissa Callaghan for her first look since struggling a toe damage in Might.
