Group B of this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup was kicked off in style by Norway, who were too much to handle for Thailand as the sides met in Ottawa on day two of the tournament.
Former World-Cup winners Norway impressed throughout a fairly straightforward game as they look to better themselves on the international stage. They made a shock exit in the group stages in 2011, but this time around they look set to qualify for the knockout rounds comfortably.
World Cup debutants Thailand have a decent record of recent victories but have rarely come up against European opposition in the run up to this prestigious tournament.
That said, the first real chance of the game fell to the underdogs, after a surging run down the left resulted in a very good opportunity for Silawan Intamee to open the scoring from close range, but the ball across the box proved just too quick for her and it flashed wide off her thigh.
This warning shot was exactly what the Norwegian side needed and they sprang into action, missing a couple of half chances before a powerful header from 19-year-old Ada Hegerberg crashed against the post. Just three minutes later Trine Bjerke Ronning scored the first goal of group B with a delightful free kick from 25 yards, which proved too strong for Thai goalkeeper Waraporn Boonsing despite getting a hand to it.
The goal opened the game up significantly and another few respectable half-chances came Norway’s way, with Hegerberg and and Mykjaland both coming close around the twenty minute mark, before Even Pellerud’s side doubled their advantage through Isabell Herlovsen. The forward finishing off a string of passes with a tidy finish to top off the ultimate team goal.
Thailand tried to get back on the front foot with counter-attacks down both flanks, forcing set-pieces on occasion which always came to nothing.
The fatal blow to Thailand’s hopes of taking anything from the game came in the 34th minute, when Solveig Gulbrandsen provided Isabell Herlovsen with her second of the match after she rose highest to head home.
The double-scorer thought she had picked up a first-half hattrick just moments later but her goal was correctly ruled out for offside, leaving the teams to go in to the break with the score line at 3-0, and 68% of the possession in Norway’s favour.
The second half was a story of resolve, as the Scandinavian outfit looked to build up a healthy goal difference so as to have a chance of beating Germany to top spot in the group. But Boonsing in the Thailand goal had other ideas.
Hegerberg had another chance to get herself on the scoresheet, but fired straight at the Thai number one with little power so it was easily dealt with. A few moments later she then somehow managed to flash wide from close range with Boonsing, this time, well beaten.
The teenager’s perseverance finally paid off in the 68th minute as substitute Elise Thorsnes broke down the left wing and whipped a wicked ball across the face of goal, which Hegerberg put away emphatically to cap off what was a very good performance from her.
Norway will wonder how they didn’t score six or seven after they were given a penalty with 15 minutes to go. Maren Mjelde stepped up to take the spot kick only to see her tame effort saved by Boonsing, who did well to stop her team drifting even further behind.
Norway did not threaten too much following the penalty miss, instead choosing to pass the ball around at the back and dictate the tempo of the game entirely; however Thailand were not quite finished yet. Orathai Srimanee hit the crossbar from range before some very patient play in and around the box almost led to a consolation for the Asian side.
Thailand’s second-half performance will give them hope that they can progress from their group as one of the best third-placed teams, as long as they beat Cote D’Ivoire and put in a similarly resilient performance against Germany, who are one of the favourites to win the competition.
