Norway 3 – 1 Scotland
Thursday, 12 March 2026
Sarpsborg Stadium, Norway 

Scorers

Norway 3 (Hoem 20’, Lapore 26’, Lund 29’)

Scotland 1 (Crawford 7’ [p])

Team News

Scotland continued their Euro 2026 qualification campaign against Norway, with Michael Tuohy making three changes to the 20-player squad that had taken part in the MIMA Cup games against Morocco and Wales in February.

Mirren Duncan, Mehak Khanna and Mollie Palmer were replaced by Adian Ibrahim, Isla Miller and Isla Taylor.

As It Happened

The Norwegian hosts faced an immediate Scottish attack as a frantic Norway struggled to hold back Lucy Hope, who pressed for a shot in the opening minute, leaving Isa Lund no choice but to foul Hope and receive an early yellow.

And the continued pressure saw Orla Burn brought down just inside the box by Erle Ødegaard Jonsson as the referee was once again called to judge a Norway foul, this time pointing to the spot.

Ava Crawford stepped up to face Norway’s Erle Braathen and calmly slotted the ball past the Norway keeper to give the Scots a deserved early lead.

Norway rallied, however, as a cross from Stine Ariell Klæboe-Solemdal fell to an unmarked Mie Hoem, who was able to turn the ball past Julia Gorska and give the hosts a needed lift against a Scotland side that had tormented them throughout the half.

The Norwegians soon followed up their equaliser with another goal.

Saoirse Coyle Morrow blocked Ødegaard Jonsson’s shot, but the block saw the ball go to Sara Lapore, whose toe poke sneaked past Gorska and saw the game turned on its head with the young Scots now chasing an equaliser.

Unfortunately, this task would soon be made all the more difficult by a chaotic corner from Norway, which saw Scotland’s Gorska confidently punch the ball away from danger, only to see Hoem punt the ball back towards teammate Lund, whose header was ruled by the referee as a goal, despite efforts that initially appeared to show a successful goal line clearance by Chloe Arrufat Wood and Gorska.

Down but not out, Gorska made an excellent stop when faced in a one-on-one with Klæboe-Solemdal, who broke through for a chance on goal but was stopped by the Scotland keeper, who held her nerve and blocked the Norwegian midfielder’s chance, smothering the ball.

Scotland fought to get back into the game before half-time, with numerous drives into the Norwegian half and the same pressure that had seen them take the lead in the opening minutes, but it was not to be as Norway held the Scots until the end of the half.

The second half saw a determined Scotland come out with an eye to get back into the game, and this was evident in their constant efforts chipping away bit by bit, as shots from Phoebe O’Donnell and crosses from Orla Burn were blocked by a Norway side that looked eager to push on for another goal.

Breaking on the counter, Jessica Ramsay played a long ball through to Lucy Hope, who, despite having three Norway defenders in hot pursuit, was able to drive into space but was unable to get a shot away before being closed down.

Lucy Hope continued to shine throughout the second half, especially with the addition of Dara Ositelu. The substitute linked up well with Hope and O’Donnell as they continued to put pressure on Norway as they sought to get a goal back.

Julia Gorska would make several good saves throughout the second half as Norway saw moments to add another, dashed by the keeper’s dogged defending to help her team hold the line and find a way back into the game.

Despite keeping the pressure up on Norway until the final whistle, it was not to be for the young Scots, who will look to take the positives of keeping the pressure on their opponents until the very end into their next game as they continue their qualification campaign.

Next Up

Scotland Women’s Under-17s will continue their Round 2 League A European qualifiers when they travel to Fredrikstad next to face Switzerland on Sunday 15th March, with kick-off at 5 PM.

Teams

Scotland

Julia Gorska, Toni Campbell, Orla Burn (Lexi Kelly Fellows 62’), Chloe Arrufat Wood (Dara Ositelu 62’), Lily Boyce ©, Phoebe O’Donnell, Jessica Ramsay (Adian Ibrahim 79’), Ava Crawford, Saoirse Coyle Morrow, Lucy Jane Hope, Freya McIndoe.

Substitutes: Erin Anderson, Isla Miller, Dara Ositelu, Erin O’Brien, Lexi Kelly Fellows, Eilidh McCormack, Fearne Smith, Isla Grace Taylor, Adian Ibrahim.

Unused Substitutes: Erin Anderson, Isla Miller, Erin O’Brien, Eilidh McCormack, Fearne Smith, Isla Grace Taylor.

Norway

Erle Braathen, Erle Ødegaard Jonsson, Vilde Riis Vinje, Isa Bekken Lund, Sara Isabella Lapore (Live Kristine Onsrud Balmforth 62’), Marie Krogsæter, Stine Ariell Klæboe-Solemdal, Mie Ingeborg Hoem (Davis Lundhaug 62’), Maia Melgård (Selma Igesund Saga 90’), Elisa Berisha (Jenny Storsletten 62’), Johanna Fedeler (Hanne Nesse 80’).

Substitutes: India Gjølstad, Selma Igesund Saga, Jenny Storsletten, Hanne Nesse, Davis Lundhaug, Sofia Norebø, Live Kristine Onsrud Balmforth, Lina Mørch, Emilie Strand Blindheim.

Unused Substitutes: India Gjølstad, Sofia Norebø, Lina Mørch, Emilie Strand Blindheim.

Match report by John Shiels