LJUBLJANA/OSLO (Nettavisen): Antonio Nusa dominated for Norway away against Slovenia in the Nations League on Thursday evening.
The 19-year-old gave Norway an early lead in the first half and after the break, the RB Leipzig player delivered another spectacular goal.
– Nusa belongs in a circus. It’s so cheeky, says TV 2 expert Jesper Mathisen about the Norwegian’s second goal.
– It feels great to score two goals and win today. I’m enjoying myself; these are the matches you live for, says Nusa.
Erling Braut Haaland also scored for Norway. After the match, he pointed out that national team coach Ståle Solbakken, who has faced criticism recently, made good adjustments during the break and switched to a five-man midfield in the second half.
– It worked well. It’s solid from Ståle, and the small changes he made at halftime. Today we have to praise Ståle, Haaland tells Nettavisen in the press area in a garage at Stozice Stadium in Ljubljana.
Sørloth: – It’s been tough for him
Alexander Sørloth had high praise for Nusa when he spoke with a gathered Norwegian press after the match.
– He is incredibly good in one-on-one situations, and today he performs on a terrible pitch. It has been tough for him, especially against Austria, as there was also a bad pitch there. They were very aggressive towards him; they were today as well, but today he is very switched on.
– He dribbles past his man every time, and when he also dribbles past two others, he is very, very good, says Sørloth.
The Atletico professional believes, however, that it is primarily the team effort that should be praised after the match against Slovenia.
DOMINATED: Antonio Nusa scored twice for Norway against Slovenia. Here he is congratulated by Erling Braut Haaland.
Photo: Borut Zivulovic (Reuters)
– We can certainly highlight individual players, yes, but I think we are incredibly good as a team today; we function well, especially in the second half. We have some attacks that really smell burnt, says the Norwegian striker.
Wing player Petar Stojanovic was easily fooled, before Nusa elegantly lifted the ball into the far corner with his second goal. The Slovenia player was clearly angry after the goal, and expletives flew from the Salernitana player out on the grass.
– Stojanovic has thrown out some real curses here now. He was simply made to look foolish in that situation, says Mathisen.
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– Nusa is a gift
TV 2 commentator Øyvind Alsaker was also ecstatic when the German professional set up Norway’s 3-1 lead.
– He is a gift to football, a gift to the Norwegian colors. Another fantastic performance away in Ljubljana, he says.
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Erling Braut Haaland and substitute Jens Petter Hauge also found the scoresheet on Thursday.
Thus, it ended with an impressive victory
– I just have to take my hat off to what Norway has delivered, says Mathisen.
The result means Norway has ten points in their Nations League group, tied with Austria. One match remains. Norway plays at home against Kazakhstan on Sunday, while Austria meets Slovenia at home in their last match.
Norway is still dependent on the Austrians dropping points in their final game to win the group, but is guaranteed second place in the group with Thursday’s victory.
Nusa secured a dream start
Norway got a dream start in the Nations League match against Slovenia.
Before three minutes had passed, Antonio Nusa danced through the hosts’ defense and scored the opening goal behind star goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
– Look at what Nusa is doing here. It’s like watching Ronaldinho in his prime. It’s so fast, says TV 2 expert Jesper Mathisen.
– Norway has never had a winger before who can contribute with these things. It’s football artistry. Absolutely incredible, he says.
Heggem caused a penalty
However, just before 20 minutes had been played in the first half, the home team struck back when they received a penalty.
Torbjørn Heggem was late into a duel with Jan Mlakar inside the box. The Slovenia player was able to head the ball onto the crossbar before being taken down by the Norwegian center-back. Thus, referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot.
From eleven meters, star striker Benjamin Sesko was confident and sent the ball past Norway’s goalkeeper, Egil Selvik.
– I think that penalty looks 100 percent correct, says Jesper Mathisen about the penalty situation.
– That dream start has now been wiped out. Once again, we are too weak in our box. It must be really tough for Ståle Solbakken to see that these things still happen in the area, is the brutal verdict from the TV 2 expert.
Haaland with a goal
Coach Ståle Solbakken and his men had more to celebrate towards the end of the half, however.
Sander Berge played through to Haaland and the Norwegian striker made no mistakes in his duel with the goalkeeper.
– What a pass from Sander Berge; he serves it perfectly, says Mathisen about the setup.
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SCORED: Erling Braut Haaland got on the scoresheet.
Photo: Fredrik Varfjell (NTB)
The goal meant that Norway was able to head into halftime with a lead in Slovenia.
After the break, weak Norwegian defending once again nearly allowed Slovenia to score, but this time Norway escaped unscathed.
Escaped unscathed: – Inexcusable
Heggem’s blunder gave Sesko the chance to make it 2–2 alone with keeper Selvik, but Leo Skiri Østigård cleared the ball off the line.
– He must just thank his partner Østigård. He repairs the mistake Heggem makes. That mistake is inexcusable. We were lucky there, says Mathisen.
What could have resulted in Norwegian despair instead turned into jubilation a few minutes later when Nusa magically scored Norway’s third goal.
The RB Leipzig player danced through the defense and cheekily lifted the ball into the far corner behind a bewildered Oblak.
There would be more Norwegian jubilation in Ljubljana. In the 83rd minute, Norway’s fourth goal came.
Morten Thorsby and Haaland set it up before substitute Jens Petter Hauge finished with style into the net.
Slovenia never managed to respond, and thus the Norwegian team secured a very strong away victory.