Norway dominated the first half, scoring no less than five goals but went on to concede four in the second half as they defeated Greece 5-4 in the first match from Group B of the UEFA Under-19 Championship at the Centenary Stadium on Tuesday.
In fact, Greece made a great comeback after the break, scoring four goals but these were not enough to earn something from the game.
Norway forged ahead after just six minutes when off a corner, Hoplan’s header reached Alwande Roaldsoy whose close range header gave goalkeeper Monastrilis no chance.
Niklas Odegard doubled the score thanks to an indirect freekick from inside the area on the 15th.
Three minutes later, Erik Flataker headed the ball home to make it 3-0.
Nikolaos Spyrakos was unlucky to hit the crossbar for Greece but Norway extended the lead on the 36th thanks to Henrik Skogvold who controlled the ball before placing it at the back of the net.
One minute from the end of the first half, Luis Pimenta’s side scored a fifth goal when a cross by Skovgold from the right created havoc inside the area with Niklas Odegard hitting home after the ball hit the foot of the upright.
Greece reduced the gap six minutes in the second half when off Symeonidis sent Gkolfinos through on the left and the latter served substitute Stefanos Tzimas who slotted the ball past goalkeeper Rugland Ree.
Ten minutes substitute Christos Stavropoulos scored a second goal for Greece beating the Norway goalkeeper with a shot from inside the area.
A minute later, Stefanos Tzimas reduced the gap even further as he beat Rugland Ree following an assist by Kyriopoulos.
Five minutes in added time, Alexios Kalogeropoulos headed the ball home off a corner from the left for Greece’s fourth goal.
On Friday, Greece face Spain at the Gozo Stadium at 18:00 while Norway meet Iceland at the Tony Bezzina Stadium at 21:00.
NORWAY Magnus Rugland Ree, Dylan Murugesapillai, Nikolai Hopland, Alwande Roaldsoy (62′ Heine Bruseth), Niklas Odegard (46′ Rasmus Holten), Erik Flataker (46′ Benjamin Faraas), Oliver Braude, Simen Haram (46′ Rasmus Holten), Henrik Skogvold, Daniel Bassi (46′ Aleksander Andresen), Oskar Sivertsen.
GREECE Dimitrios Monastirlis, Charalampos Georgiadis, Nikolaos Deligiannis, Athanasios Prodromitis, Alexios Kalogeropoulos, Zisis Tsikos (60′ Konstantinos Gkoumas), Dimitrios Kottas (46′ Christos Stavropoulos), Anastasios Symeonidis (82′ Evangelos Nikolaou), Alexios Gkolfinos (61′ Georgios Kyripoulos), Nikolaos Spyrakos, Ioannis Gkitersos (46′ Stefaos Tzimas).
Referee: Joonas Jaanovits EST
Assistant referees: Aron Härsing EST, Robert Kempter GER
Fourth official: Sven Jablonski GER