Northern Ireland well beaten by Norway in second leg

Caroline Graham Hansen scored her 50th goal for Norway as they beat Northern Ireland 3-0 in the second leg of their Euro 2025 play-off final to complete a comprehensive 7-0 aggregate victory at Ullevaal Stadion.

Norway's place at next summer's tournament in Switzerland was all but secured after a dominant 4-0 first leg win in Larne.

They were similarly ruthless at home as Arsenal's Frida Maanum and substitute Synne Jensen added to Graham Hansen's early opener to seal Norway's 13th successive Euros appearance.

While Norway can look forward to a place in the finals in Switzerland, Northern Ireland must now regroup in time for the start of the Nations League campaign in February after falling short in their bid to make a second straight European Championship.

Relentless Norway pressure pays off

Northern Ireland produced a spirited performance against a side packed with world-class talent

Tanya Oxtoby said she wanted her side to be "brave" and they started much better than they did in the first leg.

The visitors set up in the same 5-3-2 formation they deployed in the second half of the first leg that worked so well with Chloe McCarron coming in for Danielle Maxwell in the only change.

They were aggressive with their press from the off and stemmed the Norway flow for 13 minutes before a bit of Graham Hansen magic broke the deadlock in the bitter cold in Oslo.

The Barcelona forward glided into the box and weaved past two challenges before seeing her low shot from a narrow angle squirm under Burns and into the net.

Twelve of Graham Hansen's half century of Norway goals have now come against Northern Ireland.

She almost turned provider two minutes later as she delivered a teasing ball to the far post which Ada Hegerberg diverted just past the far post.

The relentless Norway pressure kept coming and Burns was forced to tip away a low effort from Maanum before Rebecca Holloway produced a superb block to prevent Karina Saevick from tucking home on the rebound.

Returning captain Maren Mjelde rattled the crossbar from close range from a corner with Burns again on hand to turn away another powerful strike from Maanum moments later.

Maanum capitalises on NI mistake

Wade went close for Northern Ireland in a rare first-half venture forward

The busy Burns thwarted a curling effort from Graham Hansen and a header from Hegerberg before Ingrid Engen's shot from distance clipped the post and drifted wide.

It was Northern Ireland who ended the half with a rare foray forward as Lauren Wade let fly with a long-distance strike which Cecilie Fiskerstrand was able to gather at the second attempt.

Norway were fast out of the blocks in the second half, doubling their lead two minutes after the break as they latched onto a defensive lapse from Northern Ireland.

Burns played a short pass to Rebecca McKenna which Maanum intercepted before drilling low past the goalkeeper at her near post.

Grainger's side continued to dominate possession, but Northern Ireland kept battling, with Holloway thrashing high and wide at the other end after a good move.

Substitute Jensen added a third on 77 minutes as her deflected effort looped over Burns following a wicked deflection by Rebecca McKenna.