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Solbakken's bold masterstroke: 'I was shocked'
🇳🇴 Norway /Sports

Solbakken's bold masterstroke: 'I was shocked'

From Aftenposten · () Norwegian

Translated from Norwegian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Norway reached the VM quarterfinals after a 2-1 victory over Brazil, with coach Ståle Solbakken's tactical substitutions proving decisive.
  • Andreas Schjelderup and Oscar Bobb were brought in at halftime and significantly impacted the game, with Schjelderup assisting Erling Haaland's opening goal.
  • Solbakken explained his strategy was to control possession and tire out Brazil, a tactic reflected in Norway's 66% ball possession, the lowest ever recorded for Brazil in a World Cup match.

Norway has advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals following a dramatic 2-1 victory over Brazil, a win attributed in large part to the bold tactical decisions of coach Ståle Solbakken. The Norwegian side, buoyed by their coach's strategic acumen, overcame the formidable Brazilian team.

I wasn't expecting to come in at halftime. One was a bit shocked and caught off guard then.

— Andreas SchjelderupDescribing his surprise at being substituted in at halftime during the match against Brazil.

Solbakken's most impactful move came at halftime when he substituted Antonio Nusa and Alexander Sørloth for Andreas Schjelderup and Oscar Bobb. Schjelderup, who was surprised by his early introduction, described the moment as shocking but ultimately effective. He played a crucial role in Norway's 1-0 lead, delivering a pinpoint assist to Erling Braut Haaland. Schjelderup was also involved in the build-up to Norway's second goal.

If we were to win this match, we had to keep the ball and build long attacks, waiting for the right opening. Oscar and Andreas are two of the players who have the best feel for when something should happen and when they just need to keep the ball.

— Ståle SolbakkenExplaining his tactical reasoning behind the halftime substitutions.

"If we were to win this match, we had to keep the ball and build long attacks, waiting for the right opening," Solbakken explained at a press conference. "Oscar and Andreas are two of the players who have the best feel for when something should happen and when they just need to keep the ball." This strategy resulted in Norway dominating possession with 66% of the ball, a stark contrast to Brazil's 34%, which is the lowest possession percentage Brazil has ever recorded in a World Cup match.

It's just a matter of hitting it blindly to him, and you know he will score.

— Andreas SchjelderupCommenting on his assist to Erling Haaland for the opening goal.

The match also saw the return of Julian Ryerson, who had been sidelined with a thigh injury. He was substituted on in the 64th minute and reported that his thigh felt good, expressing confidence in his recovery for the next match. This tactical triumph by Solbakken has drawn comparisons to past successes, with experts praising his ability to outmaneuver Brazil's legendary coach Carlo Ancelotti, with one commentator calling it a "knockout victory."

Solbakken has achieved a knockout victory against Ancelotti. There is a class difference in the substitutions.

— Joacim JonssonPraising Solbakken's tactical decisions in the match.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Aftenposten in Norwegian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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