Under-21: Norway take the points, but the National Team hold firm over the 90 minutes

The last match of the two-year cycle to be played outside Italian borders begins with four changes to the starting line-up compared to last Friday’s eleven. Nicolò Sancisi and Matteoni are out through suspension: so from the start there is room for Zavoli (making his very first start), Famiglietti and Pasolini, along with the returning Sensoli and Amici. Valli Casadei anchors the midfield; the captain’s armband is on Zannoni. Norway start at full throttle, but the first chance falls to the men in white and light blue. The move develops down the left, where Tommaso Benvenuti bursts forward after a neat one-two with Famiglietti and from the by-line pulls back a cross; the defence fail to clear properly and Famiglietti arrives at pace and lets fly with a powerful right-footed effort, but it can’t find a way through the crowd of Scandinavian legs. The hosts’ response is swift and authoritative. Mvuka makes full use of his pace to leave everyone in his wake down the right before delivering a cut-back that Hansen-Aarøen, first time, steers into the net for the opener. Despite the freezing temperature, Mvuka’s muscles are red hot: the Young Boys man again sparks into life on 9 minutes, leaving three opponents trailing before unleashing a left-footed drive from the edge of the box that Amici punches away. Norway continue to attack with almost all their men, accepting one-v-ones at the back. In the 12th minute, however, Østrøm loses one of those individual duels and a huge gap opens up in the middle for Zannoni: the Titans’ captain, with Famiglietti in support, tries to drive into the box but Østrøm atones for his error by making full use of his long stride. San Marino still win a good corner, but the home defence deal with it. Shortly afterwards Østrøm launches the run of Zafeiris, who goes through on Amici and strikes with power, hitting the visiting keeper full in the face, who produces a vital save at the cost of considerable pain – though fortunately nothing more. No sooner has he shaken it off than Amici is called into another extremely difficult stop, this time getting down to his left to deny a low drive from Oppegård after yet another burst from Mvuka. The tempo then drops for a long spell, only to rise again towards the end of the half. On 37 minutes, after a long and patient spell of home pressure, Schjelderup finds the space to whip a fierce, driven ball to the far post for Hansen-Aarøen, who is a second late arriving. Immediately afterwards it takes a truly miraculous save from Amici to keep the score at 1-0. Arnstad, with the outside of his boot, comes up with a brilliant ball for the central run of Schjelderup, who ghosts in unmarked towards the edge of the six-yard box, picks his spot and a moment later has his head in his hands at the quite “illogical” stop from the San Marino keeper, who seems able to read the striker’s mind: otherwise it is hard to explain given the proximity and power of the shot. The white-and-light-blue side deserve credit for pushing back up the pitch, as when, on 43 minutes, Giocondi wins the ball high with aggressive pressing and then, after a quick, tight passing move between himself, Sensoli and Famiglietti, the latter gets free to deliver an inviting cross that, however, finds no takers in the box. From the ensuing counter-attack, Sjøvold unleashes a right-footed strike which, deflected, is helped onto the post by Amici. Half-time brings back out a Sammarinese side immediately on the front foot. Less than a minute into the second half, Tommaso Benvenuti wins a corner that is aimed at the head of Zavoli: the delivery is only marginally too long for the number 7 in white and light blue, who had broken free well at the far post. Norway quickly push up again but are immediately forced to retreat. Credit to Zannoni who, after robbing an opponent of the ball, drives forward with it at his feet all the way to the edge of the attacking third: Mannsverk tries to bring him down but Cecchetti’s number 10 stays on his feet and unleashes a right-footed shot that forces Tangvk into a two-stage save. Norway instantly step it up again and extend their lead from a corner. Arnstad swings the ball in, the defence clear only as far as the edge and Østrøm reacts quickest, pouncing on the loose ball and steering it into the bottom corner. From the restart Hansen-Aarøen races down the flank but, faced with Amici, opts for a poorly executed chip. Norway waste another one-on-one (Schjelderup pokes the ball wide) before making it 3-0. The goal is the product of a double piece of brilliance from Hansen-Aarøen, who first produces a piece of skill to beat two opponents and then, with the deftest of touches – from a very tight angle – lifts a looping effort that drops in off the far post. In the meantime, Cecchetti has replaced Famiglietti and Pasolini with D’Addario and Casadei. Shortly after the goal it is time for Chiaruzzi to come on for Giocondi. Norway keep pressing in search of a fourth. Oppegård goes round Amici as he comes out and then looks for Hansen-Aarøen, whose effort is crucially blocked by Zavoli; then Østrøm, with a header from a corner, is centimetres away from a brace: the post comes to the rescue of Amici and his team-mates. After Giacopetti comes on for Zannoni (with the captain’s armband passing to Mattia Sancisi), Norway hit the woodwork again through Aasgard, who climbs highest to meet a Gulliksen cross and grazes the top of the bar where it meets the post. The number 16 will not have long to wait to make amends, but he will chiefly have Jatta to thank, as the latter, picked out in the box by a deep cross, has the vision not to go for goal himself (a difficult finish) but instead to nod the ball back across for Aasgard, free to beat Amici from a very inviting position. It is the dying minutes of the match, but Norway are still not satisfied. Tommaso Benvenuti has to produce a superb defensive intervention to prevent Nordås, played in by Jatta, from finishing with the same comfort as Aasgard. And in stoppage time it takes yet another outstanding save from Amici to deny a flying, almost point-blank effort from Nordås himself. Cecchetti urges his players to dig deep into their last reserves of energy to protect their goal right to the end of added time. The team respond, as they have throughout a match that shows clear signs of improvement not only compared with the scoreline in the reverse fixture, but above all in relation to the recent meeting with the Republic of Ireland. This time there was no drop in intensity after the break, and that attacking intent which had characterised so many games in this two-year cycle – and beyond – was also back on display. The next European qualifier will be in early September, away to Italy.

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Under-21, Euro 2025 Qualifying | Norway – San Marino 4-0   NORWAY Tangvk; Sjøvold, Østrøm, Hjelde; Mvuka (from 80' Gulliksen), Arnstad (from 71' Jatta), Mannsverk (from 71' Nordås), Zafeiris (from 60' Holm), Oppegård; Hansen-Aarøen, Schjelderup (from 60' Aasgaard) Substitutes: Sjøeng, Opsahl, Fiabema, Braude Coach: Jan Peder Jalland   SAN MARINO Amici; G. Benvenuti, M. Sancisi, Zavoli; Giocondi (from 62' Chiaruzzi), Sensoli, Valli Casadei, Pasolini (from 57' Casadei), T. Benvenuti; Famiglietti (from 57' D'Addario), Zannoni (from 84' Giacopetti) Substitutes: Battistini, Dolcini, Giambalvo, Terenzi, Ciacci Coach: Matteo Cecchetti Referee: Daniyar Sakhi (KAZ) Assistants: Sergey Kalachyov and Yuriy Tikhonyuk (KAZ) Fourth Official: Aidyn Tassybayev (KAZ) Booked: Schjelderup, Zavoli, T. Benvenuti Scorers: 5' and 61' Hansen-Aarøen, 49' Østrøm, 89' Aasgaard

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