Norwegian coach Ståle Solbakken recognized the excellence of Spain in the victory in Norway (0-1), although he considered that Gavi’s goal was “clearly” offside.
“Spain deserved to win, they were better, they had a very good day,” said Solbakken in the press conference after the match.
Solbakken lamented that his team was “too restless” with the ball, that it made too many mistakes in releasing the ball and that it was missing the final pass in counterattacks.
Spain’s high pressure hurt Norway a lot, the coach admitted, and although Luis de la Fuente’s team didn’t create too many chances, it made them run “a lot.”
“We were inferior for a long time and I think the players know it,” lamented Solbakken, whose plan was to put safe players on the ball, although he admits that it was not going well.
Beyond the Spain match, Solbakken believes the key to his team not finishing in the top two of the group is a home defeat against Scotland, with two goals conceded in the final minutes as they won 1- 0.
“We conceded a lot of goals in relation to the chances they created for us,” he admitted.
Norway still have a remote chance of making the play-offs, but Solbakken sees himself as having the “strength, energy and confidence” to push on.
“As long as I feel that I have more to give and there is motivation and desire, I will continue,” he said.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
