Match Overview
Norway 3-1 Sweden and the scoreboard barely covered the damage. Here we go: S. Solbakken trusted a Haaland-less 4-4-2 at Ullevaal and watched Jørgen Strand Larsen and Antonio Nusa settle the derby inside 37 minutes, leaving rival boss E. Hamrén scrambling.
The pattern was set in the 8th minute. Julian Ryerson surged from full-back and squared for Strand Larsen to finish. Ten minutes later Nusa doubled the lead, sliding onto Sander Berge’s pass to punish Sweden’s loose midfield cover. When Ryerson again found Strand Larsen in the 37th minute, Norway’s front-two experiment already looked like a long-term proposal rather than a stopgap.
Sweden’s first-half 3-4-2-1 never stabilised. Gustaf Nilsson was isolated, Anthony Elanga struggled to carry the counter and the Swedish back three failed to track the runners that Ryerson and David Møller Wolfe kept launching. Hamrén reacted with an extraordinary seven substitutions at 46 minutes, but the reset brought more confusion than control.
Norway were briefly checked when VAR cancelled a David Møller Wolfe effort in the 62nd minute, moments before Solbakken emptied his bench with ten changes between the 62nd and 63rd minutes to protect the lead. Sweden finally found a foothold once Alexander Isak arrived. He combined with Mattias Svanberg to score in the 76th minute, offering a glimpse of the fluency Hamrén wants. Even that flicker was muted when VAR scratched a Sebastian Nanasi finish in the 81st minute. Hjalmar Ekdal’s yellow card for a foul in the 70th minute summed up Sweden’s frustration.
Tactical Insight
Solbakken’s 4-4-2 looked narrow on paper but flexed into a 2-4-4 in possession. Oscar Bobb tucked inside, giving Ryerson the corridor that produced both Strand Larsen goals. Berge dictated from the base, recycling quickly enough to pin Daniel Svensson and Jesper Karlström in their own half. Without Haaland, Norway relied on timing rather than power; the runs from Strand Larsen and Alexander Sørloth constantly split Sweden’s marking. Even after the wholesale changes, Marcus Pedersen and Andreas Schjelderup preserved the same aggressive spacing to keep Sweden pinned.
Hamrén expected control with his shape but lost the duels on the flanks. Lucas Bergvall and Yasin Ayari could not stem the transitions, and the back line rotated poorly whenever Ryerson burst forward. The half-time deluge of changes brought Victor Lindelöf and Mattias Svanberg, shifting towards a back four, yet it took Isak’s individual quality to create. Sweden’s single pressing trigger came too late; by 63 minutes Norway were managing rhythm rather than chasing it.
Key Figures
Strand Larsen scored in the 8th and 37th minutes, vindicating Solbakken’s faith in his movement. Ryerson delivered both assists and supplied eight key passes before his 63rd-minute withdrawal. Nusa’s goal in the 18th minute capped a fearless first half where he won eight of 12 duels. Isak altered Sweden’s posture after entering in the 62nd minute and converted Svanberg’s assist in the 76th minute, but his cameo only softened the margin.
Statistics
- Shots: Norway 22, Sweden 9
- On target: Norway 7, Sweden 5
- Possession: Norway 55 percent, Sweden 45 percent
- Corners: Norway 6, Sweden 1
- Passing accuracy: Norway 89 percent, Sweden 89 percent
Outlook
Norway’s depth case grows stronger. Strand Larsen and Nusa ensured Solbakken can rotate ahead of UEFA qualifying this autumn with confidence. Sweden face another reset under Hamrén, who must build around Isak earlier if this new cycle is to gain traction. Friendly season continues elsewhere, with Austria 1-0 Tunisia: Sabitzer delivers after Rangnick’s reset underscoring how other European sides are already locking their structures.
