Published: November 14, 2024, 10:42 PM Last updated: November 15, 2024, 06:25 AM
Nusa just delivered exactly what Ståle Solbakken ordered from him, two goals that deserve to be framed in a museum of football art.
– He has dazzled in all home games and thrilled the audience. Now he plays more for Leipzig, and I want to push him to the next step, to contribute in an away game with an otherworldly performance that lets us win, Solbakken said on Wednesday.
He scored two, one on either side of Erling Braut Haaland’s 35th national team goal, which gave Norway the lead for good just before half-time.
In the 4th minute, Nusa slalomed between three opponents and outsmarted star goalkeeper Jan Oblak with a decisive shot at the near post. In the 59th minute, he tricked two defenders and shot via the leg of Zan Karnicnik in a curve over the keeper and into the far corner.
Outsmarted
– He delivers at a high level. He is a great talent and something extraordinary, Haaland told the Norwegian media after the match, while Nusa sneaked onto the bus behind his back. The journalists were also outsmarted by Nusa on Thursday.
When Nusa was substituted, Jens Petter Hauge came on wearing Martin Ødegaard’s vacant number 10 shirt and sealed the result with another fine goal. Slovenia lost at home for the first time in two and a half years.
– All in all, it was a superb performance, but we had some scary moments. We made a huge mistake on the 2-1, and with 2-2, we don’t know how it would have gone, Solbakken said before the team headed to the airport for a nighttime charter flight home.
With the victory, Norway has secured at least 2nd place, which grants promotion qualification in March. With a Norwegian win over table-bottom Kazakhstan at Ullevaal on Sunday, a simultaneous Austrian points loss to Slovenia would make Norway group winner and A-nation for the first time.
That would almost certainly also provide an extra chance in the playoffs if Norway does not finish among the two best in their World Cup qualifying group next year.
Match commentary from Dagsavisens sports chief: Antonio Nusa: The Wizard from Langhus (+)
Football Magic
Before four minutes were played, Nusa silenced 16,000 Slovenians, including Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin, with a bit of football magic and Norway’s lead goal. He received the ball from Alexander Sørloth after Sander Berge headed a clearance back into the Slovene zone, locked three opponents in checkmate with a two-footed feint and surprised Oblak with a tap-in
Norway dominated the opening of the match, and the crowd booed in frustration as the Norwegians passed the ball around. But the home team’s first opportunity in the 19th minute lit up the audience and the match. Jan Mlakar headed the ball off the crossbar, and Julian Ryerson cleared the return in front of Benjamin Sesko just barely. However, Torbjørn Heggem had been in on Mlakar, and referee Michael Oliver awarded a penalty.
Both Norway’s players and bench protested strongly, but VAR did not overturn the decision, and Sesko was able to convert the penalty to make it 1-1.
The match opened up, and there were great chances for both teams after a messy and frantic play on a very poor pitch. In the 26th minute, Berge made a great through ball to Haaland, who smashed the ball off the post behind a helpless Oblak.
At the opposite end of the pitch, Norway was saved twice by Egil Selvik. In the 38th minute, Sesko was played through, but Selvik rushed out and won the duel. Three minutes later, Mlakar flicked a cross from the right, but Selvik threw out his leg and saved it off the post.
Great Berge
It was still Norway that went into halftime with the lead, after a goal orchestrated by midfield commander Berge, who was magnificent at Stozice Stadium. He won the ball and threaded it beautifully through to Haaland, who had timed his run perfectly and scored easily alone with Oblak.
At halftime, Solbakken switched from 4-4-2 to 4-5-1. After that, Norway generally had control and the upper hand but experienced some scary moments when Heggem failed on a clearance and lost a duel with Sesko. Leo Østigård and Heggem jointly prevented an equalizer with a block.
After that, it was Norway that created chances. Sørloth had a great opportunity after fine Norwegian play, and then Nusa dazzled again. He sprinted past Petar Stojanovic, turned inside, and scored via Karnicnik.
Ryerson and Morten Thorsby had great chances to increase the winning margin, but it was Hauge who in the 82nd minute was set up by Haaland, turned past Vanja Drkusic, and shot in the match’s final goal. Now there will be full excitement in Sunday’s concluding round.
Slovenia has a lot to play for in Austria, as a win would secure the team 2nd place and send the Austrians into relegation qualifying.
Read also: What Norway is playing for in Slovenia – promotion and an easier path to the championship
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Kampfakta
Nations League Group B3, Matchday 5:
- Slovenia – Norway 1-4 (1-2)
- Stozice Stadium
- 16,000 spectators
- Goals: 0-1 Antonio Nusa (4), 1-1 Benjamin Sesko (pen. 21), 1-2 Erling Braut Haaland (45), 1-3 Nusa (59), 1-4 Jens Petter Hauge (82).
- Referee: Michael Oliver, England.
- Yellow card: Torbjørn Heggem (19), Norway.
Teams:
- Norway (4-4-2): Egil Selvik – Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, Leo Østigård, Torbjørn Heggem (Stian Greersen from 87.), Julian Ryerson – Aron Dønnum (Morten Thorsby from 46.), Lasse Berg Johnsen (Kristian Thorstvedt from 60.), Sander Berge, Antonio Nusa (Jens Petter Hauge from 71.) – Alexander Sørloth, Erling Braut Haaland (Jørgen Strand Larsen from 87.).
- Slovenia (4-4-2): Jan Oblak – Zan Karnicnik (David Brekalo from 72.), Vanja Drkusic, Jaka Bijol, Erik Janza – Petar Stojanovic (Svit Seslar from 80.), Adam Gnezda Cerin (Jasmin Kurtic from 81.), Timi Elsnik, Jan Mlakar (Sandi Lovric from 72.) – Zan Vipotnik (Zan Celar from 72.), Benjamin Sesko.
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