Norway’s national women’s football team looked set for a brilliant opening in the European Championships (called “EM” in Norway, for Europeiske Mesterskap), until Iceland scored in the last four minutes. The match ended in a 1-1 tie.
The Norwegian women led all the way as the championships (Women’s Euro 2013) got underway in Kalmar, Sweden on Thursday. Kristine Hegland had scored and Norway held the advantage until the defense failed and Marit Fiane Christensen of Norway got into a duel with Iceland’s star player Sara Björk Gunnarsdottir. That led to a disputed penalty against Norway and Iceland scored on a free kick.
“Cheap and wrong,” claimed the football commentator for Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) Live Klaveness, a former player on the national team herself. “Marit should have had the free kick.”
Norway, in Group B with Germany and the Netherlands along with Iceland at the tournament, will next face the Netherlands on Sunday, followed by a match against Germany on July 17. Women’s Euro 2013, with 12 teams competing, runs through July 28.
newsinenglish.no staff
