Haaland: Dortmund star 'not the only Norway threat' says NI boss Baraclough

  • Published
Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough in Sunday's news conference at Windsor ParkImage source, Pacemaker
Image caption,

Ian Baraclough believes Norway will attempt to expose Northern Ireland down both flanks

Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough insists the threat posed by Norway is not limited to star striker Erling Braut Haaland.

Haaland has established himself as one of the world's top forwards after scoring 44 goals for Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund last season.

The 20-year-old scored his first international goal in Norway's 2-1 defeat by Austria in Oslo on Friday.

"He is [a promising talent] but he's not the only threat," said Baraclough.

"We've spoken about the other players they can choose from in the forward areas."

In addition to Haaland, Norway boast considerable attacking firepower in Alexander Sorloth, who scored 33 goals for Trabzonspor last season, and Bournemouth's Josh King, who lined up alongside Haaland against Austria.

"You can't set up to combat one player," added Baraclough.

"Haaland will be partnered by Josh King or [Alexander] Sorloth and we have to be ready for that.

"They try to get overloads in wide areas to try and stretch you and will have deliveries coming in from there, so they have some talented boys there."

Baraclough is hoping to secure his first win as Northern Ireland boss on his home debut having guided his 10-man team to a 1-1 draw away to Romania following Josh Magennis' first-half dismissal.

The former Northern Ireland Under-21 manager says he expects Norway to be "hurting" from their loss to Austria and insists his players have to be ready for what the Scandinavians "throw at us" at Windsor Pak.

Image source, Inpho
Image caption,

Gavin Whyte's late goal saw 10-man Northern Ireland clinch an unlikely 1-1 in Romania

'Romania late show boosted us'

Baraclough's side, as they did so often under Michael O'Neill, battled hard to take a point away from Bucharest.

The Green and White Army looked to be heading home empty-handed after George Puscas' opener was followed by Magennis' sending off for two bookable offences.

However, Baraclough believes Gavin Whyte's late leveller is evidence of Northern Ireland's enduring knack for grinding out results against the odds.

"It does give you a boost knowing that you can go and deal with that if it happens.

"You don't want to be down to 10 men too many times, but it does happen and you have to be able to make up for that loss and the boys certainly did that.

"It gives us a boost going into Monday's game knowing that we came back into it, we were the better team in the second half and created some chances.

"On another night we may would have had a couple of goals but we definitely showed character, determination to work for each other and we know we have that in abundance anyway."

Jonny Evans, who missed the Romania game for personal reasons, is due to return although injured pair Rangers winger Jordan Jones and Aberdeen's Matty Kennedy have both returned to their clubs.

Stuart Dallas and Kyle Lafferty, who assisted Whyte's goal after coming off the bench in Budapest, missed Sunday's training as a precaution but are expected to be involved against on Monday.

Norway will be without Martin Odegaard. The Real Madrid playmaker also missed the Austria game due to a knee injury.