Norway and Denmark opened their League A campaign with a 3-2 win for the hosts in Oslo. The match, played on 24 September, produced five goals and a red card before the final whistle. Both sides entered the fixture with zero points and zero games in the standings, so this result immediately reshuffled the table.
«And here's the thing» — Norway struck first and took a two-goal cushion before Denmark could respond. Oscar Bobb opened the scoring in the 14th minute, then Erling Haaland doubled the lead six minutes later. The visitors found a way back through Mikkel Damsgaard in the 25th, pulling one back before half-time approached.
Danish persistence paid off when Rasmus Højlund equalised in the 60th minute. By then the match had settled into something more balanced, with both sides creating chances. «To be fair», Norway kept their composure and Haaland restored their advantage in the 74th minute, heading home from close range.
The game tightened in the closing stages and the Danish defence began to buckle. David Møller Wolfe picked up two bookings in quick succession before a second yellow in the 90+3rd minute saw him sent off. «By then» Norway had already secured three points, though the red card added drama to an otherwise straightforward finish.
The statistics tell a story of near parity. Norway held 49 per cent possession against 51 for Denmark, while both teams registered seven shots on target. The hosts generated more attacks overall — 98 to 91 — but the visitors pushed more passes into the final third. Expected goals figures sat close together, 1.47 to 1.08 in Norway's favour.
We had tipped Norway to win with 82 per cent confidence, and the result confirmed that call. Haaland's brace and Norway's ability to weather the Danish pressure made the difference. The hosts will take the early leadership in Group A, though one match tells you very little about a campaign.
The victory moves Norway above Denmark in the standings, at least temporarily. Both teams remain level on points with only this fixture completed. The red card leaves Denmark with work to do in their next outing, while Norway can build on a positive start.
