Holders undone by Norway

A goal in each half gave Norway the perfect start to their UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship campaign, as they recorded a 2-0 victory against the holders France in the opening game of Group B.

Final defeat
Although the win does not make amends for Norway's loss to France by the same score in last season's final, it does put Jarl Tørske's side in a commanding position to advance to the semi-finals. Captain Anneli Giske headed the opening goal in the 21st minute before Tone Heimlund, one of six Norwegians who were also on duty in Leipzig last summer, put the finishing touch to a superb counterattack with eleven minutes remaining at the Hyvinkää Sportspark.

Dazzling football
France also had plenty of experience in their ranks, with ten of the squad and six of the side which began last season's showpiece on display, and it showed as they played some dazzling football from the start, with left-back Laure Boulleau raiding forward at will. Gaëtane Thiney and Elise Bussaglia had both shot wide when well placed when, in the tenth minute, Norway finally escaped their half and registered a shot through Madeleine Giske.

Unguarded net
After an offside flag had prevented Elodie Thomis from opening the scoring for France, Norway did just that following Monica Henriksen's long free-kick into the heart of the French area. Goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi called loudly as she raced from her line, only for Giske to get there at the same time as a defender and flick the ball into an unguarded net. Visibly spurred, Norway pushed for a second, but Bouhaddi impressively saved Nasra Abdullah's low shot and Gwenaëlle Pele beat Melissa Wiik to the rebound.

Wall of Norwegians
France continued to play the more attractive football, only to be frustrated by a red wall of stoic Norwegian defenders. Skarbø was alert to an inadvertent back-pass with French forwards set to pounce before Nathalie Jarosz had the keeper scrambling with a fizzing 30-metre drive. France captain Lilas Traïkia, scorer of the second goal in last year's final, brought the half to a close with an audacious shot on the turn.

Rain stopped
Although the driving rain had stopped, the pitch remained sodden at the start of a second half in which the Norwegian midfield immediately looked more assured and played more assertively than in the first half, perhaps in the knowledge that space would become available as France pushed in search of an equaliser. From such a situation, Knutsen almost beat Bouhaddi to a flick from Heimlund before the duo combined for Norway's second goal.

Brilliant break
Knutsen, the oldest player in the tournament, broke brilliantly down the right and picked out Heimlund with a centre which the striker stroked into the net with eleven minutes left. The midfielder then showed great vision to pick out Wiik, who stole in ahead of Pele before forcing a fine save from Bouhaddi. Although Wiik could not convert the rebound, the three points were safe and France were left to ponder what might have been.

Most Valuable Player: Tone Heimlund (Norway)
Attendance: 450