Norway U19 vs. Greece U19: Norway Cruises to 5-0 Win

Norway's under-19 national team cruised to a 5-0 victory over Greece in their opening match of the 2023 UEFA European Under-19 Championship on Tuesday.

The match was played at MFA Centenary Stadium in Ta' Qali, Malta, and Norway dominated from start to finish. They took the lead in the 12th minute through Erik Botheim, and then doubled their advantage just before halftime through Noah Holm.

Norway continued to press after the break, and they added three more goals in the second half through Botheim, Holm, and Kristian Arnstad.

The win was a convincing start to Norway's campaign, and they will be confident of progressing to the knockout stages.

Here is a more detailed look at the match:

• Norway:
  • Goalscorers: Erik Botheim (12', 56'), Noah Holm (38', 69'), Kristian Arnstad (79')
  • Starting lineup: Andreas Linde; Leo Skiri Østigård, Håkon Evjen, David Brekalo, Eirik Haugan; Kristian Arnstad, Emil Konradsen Ceide, Noah Holm; Erik Botheim, Jens Hauge, Andreas Schjelderup
• Greece:
  • Starting lineup: Giannis Makris; Lazaros Christodoulidis, Dimitris Giannoulis, Panagiotis Tsolakidis, Ianis Konstantopoulos; Panagiotis Konstantakos, Dimitris Koussouris, Dimitris Kourbelis; Dimitris Giannoulis, Konstantinos Galanopoulos, Lazaros Dimitriou

Key Takeaways:

• Norway were the better team throughout the match, and they deserved their victory.
• Botheim and Holm were both in excellent form, and they each scored a brace.
• Greece struggled to create any chances, and they were never really in the game.

Looking Ahead:

Norway will next face Iceland on Friday, July 8. Greece will face Italy on the same day.

Prediction: Norway to win their group and advance to the knockout stages.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news and information about the 2023 UEFA European Under-19 Championship by following us on Twitter @UEFAYouth and @UEFA.

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• Highlights from the match:
  • Botheim's goal in the 12th minute was a brilliant individual effort. He picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area and dribbled past two defenders before firing a low shot into the bottom corner.
  • Holm's goal in the 38th minute was a well-taken volley. He met a cross from the right with a powerful header that flew into the top corner.
  • Arnstad's goal in the 79th minute was a superb strike from outside the penalty area. He curled the ball into the top corner with the outside of his foot.
• Statistics from the match:
  • Norway had 67% possession.
  • Greece had just one shot on target.
  • Norway had 12 shots in total, eight of which were on target.
• Quotes from the coaches:
  • Norway coach Leif Gunnar Smerud: "We are very happy with the win. We played well and deserved the victory. We have a lot of talented players in this team, and I am excited to see what they can achieve."
  • Greece coach Nikos Kostenoglou: "We were not at our best today. Norway were the better team, and they deserved to win. We will need to improve if we want to get a result against Iceland on Friday."