Grainger's side all but ended Northern Ireland's hopes of reaching back-to-back European Championships with a ruthless 4-0 win in the first leg at Inver Park. However, they now represent a different challenge, as they have nothing to lose. "When you have nothing to lose you have the full freedom, so I think the underdog mentality is even stronger this time," she stated. Grainger expects them to perform strongly, with the pressure now on her higher-ranked team.
Grainger praised Northern Ireland's second-half performance in the first leg, noting their defensive discipline and fighting spirit. "I know the spirit, the hard work and their 'never giving up' attitude. I wasn't surprised by it and I hugely respect it. They had that defensive discipline in the second half and that fight to work for each other," she remarked, highlighting the potential threat they pose in the upcoming match.
Grainger's ambition for Norway is clear: to not only maintain momentum but to set strong goals for the next European Championship in 2025. "We want to be better. In these 12 games the team have taken some real steps so I'm proud of them, but I want to be in a position where we can set some strong goals for 2025," she emphasized, showing her commitment to ongoing improvement.
Ada Hegerberg expressed her excitement about playing in front of a home crowd at the Ullevaal Stadium and demonstrated her hopes for a successful conclusion to the year. "It's nice to be back home again, we're not here very often, so to play with the fans and experience that energy is something special. We want to build on last year and finish strong here," she said.
Collection
[
|
...
]