Japan – Norway, Saturday at 10:00 a.m., NRK1

NORWAY IS ONE of the ten teams in the top 16 of the FIFA rankings qualified for the play-offs in Australia and New Zealand. This is as it should be. Anything else would have been the biggest Norwegian setback in Women’s World Cup history.

Once in the world we were made to beat, in 2024 we are happy when we hang on.

Development, as they call it.

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When Jamaica held Brazil to 0-0 and sent the legendary Marta (37) and the girls home after the group stage, a lot happened on the women’s front.

Germany’s 1-2 for Colombia and 1-1 against South Korea, and South Africa’s 3-2 against Italy, put two lines under the answer.

GERMANY (2) CANADA (7), Brazil (8), China (14), Iceland (15) and Italy (16) are the top 16 teams that did not qualify for the round of 16. They did not keep their promises in terms of ranking and expectations, and are the great disappointment of the championship. They too were caught.

Those who came through and stole their deserved play-off places – South Korea (17), Switzerland (20), Colombia (25), Nigeria (40), Jamaica (43) and South Africa (53) – show that women’s football football has gained in scale and quality.

Only Trygve Hegnar does not see it.

In a macho attempt to become an expert in a field he has no idea about, the editor-in-chief of Finansavisen has done everything he can to piss off female soccer players around the world.

The only thing he managed to do was wear his pants.

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WOMEN’S FOOTBALL HAS TAKEN big steps in the last decade, and much bigger steps than Norway has taken in the same period. This is why we fight. For the same reason, it was not certain either that the Norwegian girls had come out of the weakest of the eight play-off groups.

It ended well, we beat the Philippines 6-0 despite having to win by three goals, but the relief we saw is in many ways linked to the challenges the team faces.

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The world has become smaller and the World Championship has grown with eight nations.

Norway almost never loses to teams not in the top 30 of the FIFA rankings. The last time this happened was against Northern Ireland in 2011.

However, there was great uncertainty before the decisive match against the number 46 team.

IT IS REALITY for Norwegian women’s football 2023. There is a lot to catch up on. Last summer we were so naive that we went to the European Championships in England believing in medals. This time the trip to New Zealand was aimed at not having to return home until the playoffs start.

This has been achieved and, in light of the recessions in Brazil and Germany, we now know that what seems easy at first can also be very difficult.

The advantage, particularly because Sweden is currently the third best women’s football nation in the world, is that you don’t have to be big to be good.

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MOST SAY It was good to have Japan, and not Spain, on the ball in the round of 16. I dont share this point of view. In the group final against Spain, the Japanese were formidable in every way.

The 5-4-1 zone defense was aggressive and impenetrable, with just the right distances between players and joints.

The counter-attacking force, which allowed them four goals, was also formidable.

Spain has an 11-0 goal difference heading into the meeting with Norway, and they are taking no prisoners.

If you remember how we lost the opening match (0-1), then you know what Hege Riise and the girls need to focus on.

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AGAINST NEW ZEALAND Norway was in a stalemate when the defense ran into trouble on a long ball from the hosts’ goalkeeper. For Japan, the way forward is to unbalance Norway. No one has scored more goals than the Japanese. No one exploits the game of transition with more power and will.

It is true that Norway has a few centimeters over the opponent, but it is not the size that counts at the start of the play-offs, nor on the field.

The watchword for Hege Riise and the girls must be precision and balance.

Japan is favorite, but anything is possible.

If Jamaica can stop Brazil and Colombia and South Korea make Germany the World Cup’s biggest disappointment, Norway can advance to the World Cup quarterfinals.