Norway beat Wales 3-1 in Oslo, leaving Wales' top-tier hopes under threat
Norway beat Wales 3-1 in Oslo in the Nations League, and the win leaves Wales facing a tough fight to stay in the top tier.
The Nations League is a competition between national teams. Teams are split into groups by strength, and the results decide who goes up and who goes down. Wales had lost to Norway in Cardiff in October, so this was a chance for Norway to even the score, and they took it.
Norway's goals came in a short burst after half-time. Antonio Nusa and Andreas Schjelderup both scored within nine second-half minutes, and the game turned on that spell. Wales defender Connor Roberts then fouled Schjelderup inside the box, and The Guardian reported that Erling Haaland stepped up to convert the penalty. The penalty was a further boost for Haaland, who extended his Nations League goals record to 23.
Wales were not finished. Substitute David Brooks scored 11 minutes from time to halve Norway's lead, and the home side pushed for a second, but the scoreline stayed 3-1. For Wales, the late goal was a small consolation in a game that mostly went Norway's way.
The defeat matters for the table. Wales were relegation-threatened in their group, and this result has made the climb harder. Wales could finish level on six points with Denmark and Norway, but they would have a worse head-to-head record than both, which could leave them facing a playoff in March to avoid dropping into Nations League Group B. A playoff is a one-off match, or a short run of matches, that decides a place in the division.
Wales have another game to play first. They were due to host Portugal on the Tuesday after the Oslo match. Wales will finish bottom of their group whatever the result against Portugal, so the bigger question is the March playoff.
For Norway, the result keeps them in the mix for the top tier. Their attack looked sharp, with two quick goals from their wide and central players and a penalty from their most famous striker. Haaland's record-extending goal is the kind of moment that will be talked about long after the group table has been settled.
For Wales, the next few weeks are about damage limitation. They have a fixture to play, a group to climb out of, and a possible playoff in March to prepare for. Brooks's late goal gave their supporters something to hold onto, but the table is now asking more of them.
