Norway’s 2023 World Cup campaign until Sunday been defined by lacklustre football, reported discontent in the dressing room as one star was benched and another absent due to injury, and a single point and no goals from two games. It left the world’s 12th‑ranked team on the brink of elimination in the group stage.
Then came the decisive match at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, where a plucky Philippines side with hopes of making history were the victims of all of Norway’s frustrations being channelled into a comprehensive performance.
