All you need to know as NI face Norway in Euro play-off

Northern Ireland will be massive underdogs against Norway in their Euro 2025 play-off

Northern Ireland are potentially just 180 minutes away from qualifying for back-to-back European Championships.

Norway are the sizeable obstacles standing in their way, with the former World, European and Olympic champions huge favourites to progress.

Despite being the underdogs, Northern Ireland believe they can pull off a shock against the star-studded Norway side.

BBC Sport NI takes a look at all you need to know as both teams look to book their spot in the finals in Switzerland.

When are the fixtures and how can I follow them?

The first leg takes place at Inver Park in Larne on Friday, 29 November at 19:00 GMT.

The reverse fixture is in Oslo three days later, with a 17:00 GMT kick-off at the Ullevaal Stadion.

Friday's game at Inver Park will be live on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport NI website with live text commentary available for both matches online.

Northern Ireland and Nottingham Forest winger Caragh Hamilton, who is ruled out because of injury, is on commentary duty alongside Thomas Kane.

You can also read all the build-up to the play-off here.

How did they get here?

Lauren Wade's superb extra-time goal against Croatia fired Northern Ireland into the Euro showdown with Norway

Lauren Wade scored a superb extra-time winner as Northern Ireland defeated Croatia 2-1 on aggregate in the opening play-off round.

After a 1-1 draw in Croatia and a frustrating 90 minutes in Belfast, the Hearts winger stepped up to score from distance and set up the tie with Norway.

Prior to that, Oxtoby's side secured a play-off by finishing second in their group in Euro 2025 qualifying.

Their campaign started with a draw at home to Malta before a first victory in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Two defeats by eventual group winners Portugal followed, but NI ended their campaign on a high with a win in Malta and victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina in their final qualifier.

Before qualifying started, Norway would have been tipped to qualify for the Euros automatically but Gemma Grainger's side have had to fight their way through the play-offs.

They finished third in Group A1 behind Italy and the Netherlands. Their campaign started with a 4-0 win over Finland before a 1-0 defeat away to the Dutch.

Norway finished their campaign with four draws - twice against Italy, away to Finland and at home to the Netherlands.

Rather dauntingly, Norway defeated Albania 14-0 on aggregate in their first-round play-off to put away any fears that they had lost their ruthless edge.

Team news

Tanya Oxtoby has made just one change to her squad from the win over Croatia with fit-again striker Kerry Beattie recalled.

Northern Ireland are still without Hamilton, Nadene Caldwell and Lauren Perry because of injury.

Record goalscorer Rachel Furness was tipped for a return to the squad in October but has not featured recently because of injury, while the experienced pair of Marissa Callaghan and Demi Vance were left out of the squad for the Croatia matches.

As the players entered camp on Monday, Oxtoby had no fresh injury concerns ahead of the play-off.

Norway are a side who are littered with top talent, including Barcelona's Caroline Graham Hansen and former Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg.

Frida Maanum is having a superb season for Arsenal, while Oxtoby will know about the quality of Guro Reiten from her time as Emma Hayes' assistant at Chelsea.

Maanum scored four times in the 9-0 win over Albania in the second leg, while Hegerberg and Reiten were also on target as they cruised through.

Head-to-head

Norway ran out 4-1 winners when the sides last met at the Euro 2022 finals in England

Northern Ireland and Norway have crossed paths on a number of occasions over the past decade or so.

Their most recent meeting was at the Euro 2022 finals in Southampton, when Norway ran out 4-1 winners in Northern Ireland's first-ever match at a major tournament.

Of the 23 players named by then-manager Kenny Shiels for the Euros, just 11 are still involved for this play-off.

The sides had also met in qualifying for those Euros, with Norway running out 6-0 winners in both fixtures early in the campaign.

Northern Ireland's last win over Norway was a 3-1 victory at Mourneview Park in November 2011, when Kirsty McGuinness, Ashley Hutton and Rachel Furness scored.

That game was also notable as Hegerberg made her Norway debut as a second-half substitute in what would be the start of a glittering international career.

Northern Ireland will need more of that underdog magic if they are to shock Norway and reach consecutive finals.