Norway defender Maren Mjelde had no issue handing over the captain’s armband to Ada Hegerberg ahead of the Women’s Euros, and the striker responded by scoring a vital equaliser in their side’s 2-1 Group A win over hosts Switzerland that puts them firmly in control of their own destiny.
The Norwegians take on second-placed Finland in Sion on Sunday knowing that a win for either team will see them safely through to the knockout stage, and Mjelde is hoping that Hegerberg can perform more of her heroics against the Finns.
“She’s brilliant. I was so happy for her to open the tournament with a goal, it’s good for the strikers to get the goals. Really pleased for her, pleased for the team, because we needed that win,” Mjelde told Reuters.
After a rudderless first half that saw the Swiss dominate and take the lead, the 35-year-old Mjelde said her teammates had to pull themselves together at the break.
“We all knew that it wasn’t good enough, but if they could do it in 45 minutes, we could turn it around in 45 minutes. And I think that’s what we agreed on going out there, we promised each other that we would do everything, give everything out there for 45 minutes,” she said.
“We promised each other that, and I think we did that.”
Though the Norwegians enjoyed the victory over the Swiss, Mjelde said that there would be little time to celebrate with the Finns up next.
“I can never breathe (out), I feel, in the Euros, because it’s so tight between games. We’ve had a good start – there’s always things to work on, but I think it’s also good to reinforce the good things that you do, and take that to the next game,” Mjelde said.
Switzerland take on Iceland, who both lost their opening games by a single goal, in Bern in the group’s other game later on Sunday.
