Norway find winning formula

Norway will play neighbours Sweden in the first of Friday's UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship semi-finals after defeating and eliminating Spain following a thrilling 2-1 victory in Machern.

Hopes extinguished
Norway led Group B going into today's final matches, though each of the four teams still harboured ambitions of qualifying. Spain took the lead in the 15th minute through Maria José, and held on to it until the 58th minute when Stine Frantzen equalised. Had the score remained 1-1 Spain would have progressed, but Guro Knutsen's late winning goal extinguished their hopes.

Stunning exhibition
A sizeable crowd at the Sportpark Tresenwald, swelled by a noisy Norwegian contingent, were treated to a stunning exhibition from the off, with the opening exchanges seeing chances created at both ends. A sweeping Spanish move from defence to attack involving Melisa, Adriana and Maria José concluded with a fine Sonia shot being unluckily deflected for a corner. It was a passage of play which typified Spain's stylish football at this tournament.

Henriksen drive
Ignacio Quereda's side then took the lead when Sonia's corner was headed in by the diminutive Maria José from close range. Despite falling behind Norway did not lose their rhythm, and they were within centimetres of drawing level when Monica Henriksen unleashed a fierce long-range effort which skimmed Spain goalkeeper Lucia's bar.

Skarbø saves
Spain continued to have their moments too, Sonia undertaking a fine run down the left before pulling the ball back to Arrate whose shot was well saved by Erika Skarbø, the first of a number of saves which earned her the player of the match award. The pace and excitement continued immediately after the break when Sonia's shot from distance was tipped away by Skarbø.

Frantzen on target
Just short of the hour Norway had a penalty appeal for handball turned down but it was not to prove decisive as Frantzen pounced to tap in her second goal in as many games after Lucia had blocked a goalbound Norwegian effort. At the other end, Spain kept Skarbø busy before Adriana latched on to a superb through-ball from the highly-impressive Sonia only to see her audacious lob loop narrowly over the crossbar.

Knutsen winner
It was impossible to call who would win the game as it entered its final 15 minutes as Spain and Norway continued to counter whenever in possession. Yet as time ticked by Norway's grip on the game tightened and they climbed to seven points in the 84th minute when Knutsen, their talented midfield playmaker, popped up to score her first goal of the competition following great play from Frantzen. France beat the Netherlands 2-1 in the other game to finish in second place.