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Norway team guide

Jarl Torske's side host the competition for the first time since 2001, when, in the last U18 tournament, they finished runners-up – as in all three of their final appearances since.

Norway squad
Norway squad ©Sportsfile

Norway have consistently impressed at the UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship, but despite reaching three finals they are yet to engrave their name on the trophy.

France proved their undoing in 2003, winning the final 2-0, while there was only one goal in it on French soil five years later as Italy beat them to clinch a maiden title. The margin was then significantly wider in 2011 as a tiring, young side were picked off by Germany, Norway eventually suffering an 8-1 defeat – a record for a final in this competition.

Jarl Torske's team failed even to qualify the following season and last year, having scraped through as best runners-up, they were eliminated after two games before bowing out with a 5-0 victory against Sweden. Friendly wins against England and the United States have nonetheless boosted confidence, and Torske needs no reminding that the last time Norway hosted this tournament – when it was still a U18 finals, in 2001 – his team reached the final.

2013/14 friendly results
25/06/2014: Norway 2–1 Republic of Ireland
07/05/2014: Norway 1–0 Sweden
12/03/2014: Norway 1–2 Netherlands
10/03/2014: Norway 1–0 United States
08/03/2014: Norway 2–0 Italy
31/01/2014: Norway 4–4 England
29/01/2014: Norway 1–1 England
29/10/2013: Norway 2–1 England
27/10/2013: Norway 0–1 England

Key players
Marit Clausen (defender, SK Trondheims-Ørn), Cecilie Fiskerstrand (goalkeeper, FK Fortuna Ålesund), Vilde Bøe Risa (midfielder, Arna-Bjørnar), Synne Jensen (forward, LSK Kvinner FK).

Coach: Jarl Torske
Date of birth:
05/06/1949
Playing career: Sunndal
Coaching career: Sunndal, Molde FK (assistant coach), Norway U16/U17, Norway women (assistant coach), Norway women's U19, Norway women's U23

Norway coach Jarl Torske
Norway coach Jarl Torske©Sportsfile

Jarl Torske spent almost 30 years with home-town club Sunndal as player and coach before taking up a position at the Football Association of Norway (NFF) in 1995. Initially combining the role with a job as assistant coach at Molde, his first task was to take charge of the boys' youth sides – where his talents were soon noted.

In 1997, he was appointed assistant to women's coach Per-Mathias Høgmo and it was in this post that Torske enjoyed his greatest success to date, helping guide Norway to Olympic gold in 2000. It brought another change in job specification as he promptly assumed the helm of the women's U19s, which he has filled ever since.

Torske led the team to UEFA European Women's U18 and U19 Championship finals in 2001, 2003, 2008 and 2011, but silverware has so far eluded him. He has served full time with the NFF since 2006, stepping down from his part-time occupation as a teacher when he took charge of the women's U23 side.

UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship record
2012/13: group stage
2011/12: did not qualify
2010/11: runners-up
2009/10: did not qualify
2008/09: group stage
2007/08: runners-up
2006/07: semi-finals
2005/06: did not qualify
2004/05: did not qualify
2003/04: group stage
2002/03: runners-up
2001/02: group stage

Honours in other UEFA women's competitions
UEFA European Women's Championship
Winners: 1987, 1993
Runners-up: 1989, 1991, 2005, 2013

UEFA European Women's Under-18 Championship
Runners-up: 2001