Norway 3-2 Sweden aet

UEFA Women's European Championship
Semi-Final
Warrington Wolves RFC, Halliwell Jones Stadium
16 June 2005

An extra time winner by player of the match Solveig Gulbrandsen settled the best match of Women’s Euro 2005 after Sweden had twice come from behind in normal time.

Hanna Ljungberg levelled Gulbrandsen’s opener then, after teenage striker Isabell Herlovsen had restored Norway’s lead, striker Ljungberg netted a second equaliser two minutes from the end of normal time.

But in a truly thrilling encounter the Swedes could not come back a third time after midfielder Gulbrandsen had scored again three minutes into the second half of added time.

It was heartbreaking for Sweden, who had bossed the early stages of the match and would have taken the lead themselves but for some fine work by Bente Nordby in the Norway goal.

The experienced keeper made a tremendous seventh minute save from Ljungberg’s six-yard header, then nine minutes later she dived to keep out a long range effort by winger Anna Sjöström – scorer of the goal that beat England in last Saturday’s concluding Group A match.

Nordby was quickly in action again, this time making an excellent point blank stop from midfielder Malin Moström.

But after making all the running the Swedes began to get pushed back and, in the 28th minute, Norway striker Lise Klaveness went close with a 20 yard effort that flew just over the bar.

The Norwegians took the lead in the 40th minute, Gulbrandsen delicately lobbing keeper Hedvig Lindahl after Ingvild Stensland’s lofted through ball had sent the midfielder clear of the defence.

It took Sweden just two minutes to draw level, Ljungberg sending a superbly executed diving header into the net from a cross by strike partner Victoria Svensson.

Sadly for the Swedes they lost Svensson three minutes after half-time, when she pulled up with what appeared to be a calf injury and had to be substituted.

And their problems mounted in the 64th minute, when Norway regained the lead as 16 year-old Herlovsen rose to neatly direct a glancing header over Lindahl from a well-flighted cross by Gulbrandsen.

Central defender Marit Fiane Christensen almost increased the lead with a 75th minute header that Lindahl pushed on to the post before catching the rebound.

But in the closing stages Sweden hit back and, after Ljungberg and substitute Lotta Schelin had forced Nordby into saves, Schelin crossed for Ljungberg to force home the equaliser in the 88th minute.

The first period of extra time brought no clear cut chances for either side, but when striker Dagny Mellgren lifted over a 108th minute cross Gulbrandsen coolly sent a close range volley beyond the despairing dive of Lindahl.

In Sunday’s final the Norwegians will face reigning champions Germany, against whom they unluckily lost their first group game and so will be aiming to exact the ultimate revenge at Ewood Park.

Norway
B. Nordby, Stangeland, Følstad, Stensland, Christensen, Gulbrandsen, Herlovsen, Lehn, Mellgren, Paulsen, Klaveness
Subs: S. Nordby, Rønning, Kaufmann, Hjelmseth, Nilsen, Heimlund, Bjerke, Knutsen, Frantzen

Goals: Gulbrandsen 41, 109, Herlovsen 65

Sweden
Lindahl, Törnqvist, Marklund, Bengtsson, Moström, Larsson, Ljungberg, Svensson, Sjögran, Seger, Sjöström
Subs: Jönsson, Westberg, Östberg, Andersson, Schelin, Karlsson, Åström, Paulsson, Öqvist

Goals: Ljungberg 43, 89

Referee: Kari Seitz (USA)
Assistants: Katarzyna Nadolska (POL) and Yolanda Parga Rodriguez (ESP)
Fourth official: Wendy Toms (ENG)

Attendance: 5,722