Even before the European Championships of the Norwegians against Italy, Ada Hegerberg had a lot of criticism. The KO play then became a roller coaster of feelings for the former world footballer – without a happy ending.
The 60th minute in the quarter-final game of the Norwegians against Italy ran when the drama started. Ada Hegerberg, most recently criticized in her home country, took out a penalty and started himself. But instead of transforming to 1-1, she shot past the goal. And not for the first time at this European Championship: Already in the opening game against Switzerland, she had missed the box from the point.
Italy-Siegor Makes Hegerbergs Heroic history destroy
But the 2018 world footballer did not give up and struck back six minutes later. First she prevailed in the running duel, then she was quick in action in front of the rushing goalkeeper Laura Giuliani and achieved the equalization. The story seemed to be turning for Hegerberg. In that of a battered heroine who ends up standing as a radiant winner.
“It’s sad, very sad. But I have to honestly say that I am proud of the team and our performance.”
The late winning goal of the Italians destroyed everything, Hegerberg and her teammates have to go home. “It’s sad, very sad. But I have to honestly say that I am proud of the team and our performance”said the 30-year-old after the game. In Norwegian broadcasting NRK, she added: “It is a mixture of disappointment and step backwards.”
Norway not mandatory enough
The Norwegian experts, who had not left good hair to Hegerberg recently, should have a lot to complain about again – but on the entire team.
Because the Norwegians, actually better occupied than Italy, only dominated their opponents after compensation – and even there without really getting in front of the goal. The departure was tragic, but also logical.
Gaupset and colleagues triumphed against Iceland
And so it remains that the tournament for Hegerberg was a disappointment. After the games against Switzerland and Finland, she had found herself back on the bench during the final group game against Iceland. For this, Signe Gaupset triumphed: the 20-year-old was involved in the 4: 3 in all Norwegian goals. Her colleagues also received praise for the performance.
And so expert Erik Thorstvedt had even asked to leave Hegerberg outside against Italy before the quarter -finals. “It will be incredibly exciting to see what Gemma Grainger does. I think that Elisabeth Terland should start for Ada Hegerberg”the ex-Gladbacher told Dagbladet and explained: “Ada is a captain, but it doesn’t matter. You have to compete with the best team. She can also be the captain of this team if she is not on the field.”
Grainger ignored the Hegerberg critic
Hegerberg was also questioned at the NRK. There, with Carl-Erik Torp, a former professional represented the thesis that “National coach Gemma Grainger knows in the innermost that Norway’s best chance to win the quarter -finals without Hegerberg in the starting eleven” be. All of this was underlined by a survey in which, according to NRK, three quarters of the 20,000 respondents voted against a starting eleven nomination from Hegerberg.
Grainger did not listen to the critics and put Hegerberg against Italy again from the start – together with Gauppenet on the offensive. The Happy End did not have the hickhack for Norway and its superstar on Wednesday evening.