Norway 1-0 Finland Player Ratings: Haaland's Penalty Secures Victory Over Struggling Finland

Finland travelled to Norway for an international friendly, the match was being played at Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo. Norway came on a five-game unbeaten streak, while Finland had a decent form, with two wins, two defeats, and one draw. This game was a great platform for the Norwegian captain Odegaard, and Haaland to find form before their crucial World Cup qualifier against Moldova. The first half saw the home team dominant with 59% possession and had recorded an impressive 10 total shots. Even though Finland had decent possession, they were unable to unlock Norway's defense with zero shots. The Man City striker Haaland converted from the spot, giving his team the lead before going into the halftime stage, but it was Achjelderup who drew a foul in the penalty box.

Norway continued to control the tempo of the match in the second half. Even after giving rest to some of the first-team players, the depth of the home team was on full display as they maintained the intensity. Finland did show glimpses of brilliance in the second half but struggled to create pressure against a well-balanced Norwegian defense. Here are the Norway vs Finland player ratings:

Norway Player Ratings vs Finland

Goalkeeper

Egil Selvik - 7.0: A relatively quiet evening for the shot-stopper, but he did what was required. He made one crucial save in the second half to keep his clean sheet intact. His distribution was decent, finding a teammate most of the time.

Defenders

Kristoffer Ajer - 6.5: A mixed performance from Ajer. He was ambitious in his passing, trying to get the ball forward, but lost possession a few too many times. Defensively, he was okay, making a few clearances. However, we noticed he struggled in his aerial duels, winning only one of three. Did created one chance but needed to be more solid at the back.

Leo Ostigard - 7.0: The most composed of the central defenders. His passing was exceptional, boasting a 96% accuracy rate and completing 8 of 9 long balls. He was a key figure in building play from the back. Lost a few more duels than he would have liked, but his positioning was generally good.

David Møller Wolfe - 7.0: A very tidy performance at left-back before his substitution. He was excellent on the ball, rarely giving it away. The Wolves' full-back supported attacks well and was defensively sound for the most part. His link-up play was clean and effective.

Julian Ryerson - 7.5: The Dortmund defender was everywhere, racking up 100 touches and constantly looking to make things happen. He delivered a staggering 12 crosses and created two chances for his teammates. While his final ball wasn't always perfect, his energy and commitment were undeniable.

Midfielders

Sander Berge - 6.0: A disappointing 45 minutes for the midfielder. He was completely anonymous and failed to make any impact on the game. Lost all four of his duels, which is simply not good enough at this level. His passing was safe but he offered no forward thrust.

Martin Ødegaard - 6.5: The captain had a quiet first half by his high standards. He tried to get on the ball and dictate play but struggled to find his rhythm. He lost possession 13 times in 46 minutes, which is uncharacteristic. Sprayed a few nice passes but couldn't unlock the Finnish defence.

Felix Horn Myhre - 6.5: Had a lively start and was unlucky not to score, hitting the crossbar early on. He showed good energy and created a chance. However, he also missed a big chance that he should have put away. Faded a little as the half went on before being replaced.

Forwards

Erling Haaland - 7.0: The match-winner for Norway as usual. He was barely involved in the game, touching the ball just nine times in 45 minutes. But when the big moment came, he was clinical. He dispatched his penalty with power and precision.

Oscar Bobb - 6.5: Showed flashes of his skill and trickery. His pass accuracy was excellent, and he completed a couple of successful dribbles. However, he struggled to translate his neat touches into genuine goal threats. Lost the ball a bit too often for our liking and couldn't quite make the decisive impact.

Andreas Schjelderup - 8.0: The best player on the field. He was a constant threat from the left wing. His clever movement and dribbling won the decisive penalty. He had four shots, though most were blocked, and was the main source of creativity for Norway.

Substitutes

Alexander Sørloth - 6.5: Alexander Sørloth was a physical presence but was caught offside a few times.

Manager

S. Solbakken - 6.5: Got the win, which is the main thing. His team selection was strong, and they started brightly. The decision to make so many changes at halftime broke the team's rhythm, which was a strange choice when only 1-0 up. Relied on a moment of individual brilliance rather than a cohesive team plan to secure the victory.

Finland Player Ratings vs Norway

Goalkeeper

Viljami Sinisalo - 6.5: Couldn't do anything about Haaland's perfectly placed penalty. He made one decent save from a shot inside the box. His distribution was a bit shaky, with his long balls often failing to find their target. An average night where he wasn't overly tested from open play.

Defenders

Matti Peltola - 6.0: The captain had a tough 45 minutes. While his passing was tidy, he struggled with the pace and movement of the Norwegian attack. He only won one of his three duels before being substituted at halftime.

Ville Tikkanen - 6.5: A solid and reliable performance at the heart of the defence. His passing was superb, with 95% accuracy, allowing Finland to build from the back calmly. He was strong in the tackle but was dribbled past twice, which is a slight concern.

Ville Koski - 6.5: Put in a decent shift for his 63 minutes on the pitch. The Finland defender was a wall at times, making two crucial blocked shots and four clearances. His passing was accurate, and he was composed under pressure.

Midfielders

Glen Kamara - 6.0: A very quiet and ineffective 45 minutes from a player of his quality. He failed to get a foothold in the midfield battle. He completed most of his passes, but they were largely safe and sideways.

Fredrik Jensen - 7.0: One of Finland's brightest sparks. He worked hard for the entire 90 minutes and was always looking to create something. He created one chance and had a shot off target late on. The downside was his tendency to lose possession, giving it away 13 times.

Adam Stahl - 6.0: A difficult night for the midfielder. He was tenacious, making five clearances and a couple of blocks. However, he struggled badly in his duels, winning only two of seven. He was also dribbled past once. He worked hard but was outmatched in the physical battles.

Santeri Väänänen - 6.5: A busy performance in the middle of the park. He broke up play effectively, making five tackles and winning six of his ten duels. His passing was neat and tidy, helping recycle possession.

Forwards

Benjamin Källman - 6.0: Completely isolated and ineffective upfront. He had just 15 touches in 63 minutes, which tells the whole story. He won a couple of aerial duels but offered no goal threat whatsoever. It was a thankless task, but we saw very little to suggest he could trouble the Norwegian defence.

Topi Keskinen - 5.0: A night to forget for the attacker. His game will be remembered for one moment: the clumsy and unnecessary foul that gave away the penalty. That single error cost his team the match. He did have one shot on target, but the damage was already done.

Onni Valakari - 6.0: Another player who struggled to get into the game in his 45-minute appearance. He had some neat touches and won most of his duels but failed to provide any creativity. Drifted through the first half without making a significant impact.

Substitutes

Teemu Pukki- 6.0: Teemu Pukki was brought on to add a goal threat but was kept quiet.

Manager

J. Friis - 6.0: His team was well-organized defensively and frustrated Norway for large parts of the game. They were undone by an individual error rather than a tactical failing. However, his side offered next to nothing in an attacking sense. They seemed to lack a clear plan to score a goal, which was ultimately their downfall.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match is Andreas Schjelderup