At this moment, surrounding Haaland were not only Ramos but also Iñigo Martínez.
This center-back, who plays for Real Sociedad, had been completely outmatched by Haaland throughout the entire evening.
Even with the help of Ramos, the outcome was still a defeat.
Inside the penalty area, Haaland was like a small giant, charging through with unstoppable force.
Neither Ramos nor Iñigo Martínez could withstand Haaland's impact.
In an instant, relying on his explosive power and terrifying physicality, Haaland once again knocked Iñigo Martínez aside and unleashed a quick shot.
Boom!
The ball flew like a bolt of lightning, instantly finding the back of Spain's net.
De Gea's fingertips brushed the ball, but due to the sheer power of Haaland's shot, the ball still flew straight into the goal.
Three to two.
"WHAT AN ABSOLUTE SCREAMER! OH MY WORD, IT'S A LAST-MINUTE WINNER! ERLING HAALAND HAS WON IT FOR NORWAY AT THE DEATH!" Martin Tyler roared into the microphone, his voice echoing through the gantry.
"ABSOLUTELY SENSATIONAL. After receiving Theodore Bjorn's pass inside the penalty area, he faced two Spanish center-backs without an ounce of fear. Using his powerful physique, he forcefully created space for the shot. Gary, let's hear your thoughts on this Norwegian striker."
"Incredible. This Haaland is really impressive," Gary Neville replied, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Excellent physicality, and he shows no fear even when facing Ramos inside the penalty area. You have to know, Ramos's physique is among the top in the world of defenders, but this time he had no advantage against Haaland. If Haaland can work on his heading skills, he might become a world-class striker in the future."
After scoring the last-minute winner, Haaland immediately took off his jersey, jumped onto the advertising board, and wildly waved his fists.
Soon, all the Norwegian players rushed toward Haaland.
Even the substitutes ran over to celebrate with him.
In the away fans' section, dozens of Norwegian fans celebrated Haaland's last-minute goal with thunderous Viking chants.
However, the experienced coach Lars Lagerbäck remained very calm and did not join in the celebrations.
Lars Lagerbäck is a smart man.
He knows very well that beating Spain does not guarantee Norway's smooth qualification from the group.
Moreover, defeating Spain does not necessarily mean Norway's overall strength is superior to Spain's.
The future of Norwegian football remains a long and challenging journey!
Beeeeeep. Beeeeeep.
On the field, referee Anthony Taylor frantically blew his whistle, signaling the Norwegian substitutes to return to the bench and instructing the Norwegian players to return to their half for the kickoff.
The match is not over yet.
Before the restart, Anthony Taylor first showed Haaland a yellow card for taking off his jersey.
Only one minute remained in stoppage time.
After the restart, all the Spanish players pushed forward to attack.
Even the two center-backs, Ramos and Iñigo Martínez, had charged into Norway's penalty area.
When the ball reached Rodri's feet, the Manchester City defensive midfielder quickly delivered a long pass, sending the ball straight into the penalty area.
The ball sailed high and floated into the box. Inside the six-yard box, Ramos leapt high.
Although Ramos is a center-back, in many crucial matches, he has been able to rely on his heading ability to help his team score.
A true goal-scoring defender.
Unfortunately, Ramos did not create a miracle this time. Haaland, Selnæs, and center-back Ajer—there were three Norwegian players surrounding Ramos, interfering with him.
Moreover, all three Norwegian players were over 190cm tall.
Faced with sheer height and numbers, Ramos failed to connect with the ball.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The moment the ball was cleared by the Norwegian players, Anthony Taylor blew his whistle three times, signaling the end of the match.
Playing away, Norway narrowly defeated Spain 3-2 at the Mestalla Stadium, securing a winning start to their Euro qualifiers!
"The match is over. The match is over," Tyler announced. "Norway have claimed a historic victory. This was a hard-fought battle. Every Norwegian player gave their all. What a thrilling match. Gary, if you were to choose the Man of the Match, would it be Haaland or Theodore Bjorn?"
Gary Neville chuckled before responding to Tyler's question, then said slowly, "In my opinion, the Man of the Match has to be Theodore Bjorn. Although Haaland performed exceptionally well, scoring two goals, but let's not forget. Haaland's goals came from Theodore Bjorn's assists. Both goals were the result of Theodore Bjorn's long passes. Additionally, Ødegaard's goal was also assisted by him."
The Norwegian players were well aware that Theodore Bjorn was the key contributor to their victory.
After the match, the Norwegian players on the field gathered around him, raising their arms in celebration.
In contrast, the Spanish players hurriedly left the pitch and returned to the locker room.
Without a doubt, after this match, the Spanish media would brutally criticize the national team's performance.
At the post-match press conference, Spanish head coach Robert Moreno took full responsibility for the defeat.
"This was a match we should not have lost. In terms of player quality, we were clearly the stronger side, but our defense collapsed after the second half began," Moreno stated. "The opponent's number 16 caused us significant trouble. His three passes led to goals for Ødegaard and Haaland... I underestimated the opponent's strength. As the team's head coach, I must take responsibility for the loss."
Later, Norwegian head coach Lars Lagerbäck also spoke to reporters.
Despite Norway's hard-fought victory, Lars Lagerbäck showed no signs of arrogance.
"This was a challenging match. Our players gave their all on the pitch, and I am proud of them. However, I must emphasize that this is only the first match of the Euro qualifiers. If Norway wants to advance from this group, we must continue to maintain our hunger for victory."
That evening, after the match ended, the players immediately boarded a flight back to Norway.
Two days later, Norway would host their second opponent in the European qualifiers at home.
It was also a Nordic team—the Swedish national team.
...
After Spain's loss to Norway, the Spanish domestic scene was undoubtedly thrown into an uproar.
A large number of Spanish media outlets provided extensive coverage.
Marca: "A Disgraceful Defeat. Spain is ranked 9th in FIFA, while Norway is ranked 42nd. Yet Robert Moreno's team suffered a last-minute loss."
AS: "Three young Norwegian players defeated a Spanish team in transition. As head coach, Robert Moreno needs to call up more young players to accelerate the team's renewal."
Sport: "The midfield maestro from Aston Villa sent the Matadors home disappointed with three exquisite long passes. This 17-year-old Norwegian player will become Norway's attacking core for the next decade."
Mundo Deportivo: "The Austrian league's top scorer, 18-year-old Haaland, emerges spectacularly, scoring a brace to seal victory against the Matadors. With veterans like Xavi, Iniesta, Alonso, and David Silva having retired from the national team, Spain's midfield creativity has plummeted. Where does the future lie for Spain..."
On Twitter, Spanish fans were deeply impressed by the performances of Theodore Bjorn and Haaland.
Most fans praised and expressed envy when mentioning these two players.
"Personally, I don't think Norway's away win against us Spaniards was just luck. The abilities of Theo and Haaland are clearly superior to those of the Spanish players."
"That's true. Spain's real collapse began after their number 16 came on. That player delivered a near-perfect performance, visible all over the pitch in both attack and defense."
"Erling Haaland, who scored two goals, is 18 years and 8 months old. Martin Ødegaard, who scored the opening goal, is 20 years and 3 months old. And Theodore Bjorn, who provided three assists, is only 17 years and 3 months old. The future of Norwegian football looks incredibly bright."
"Real Madrid should sign Haaland. Ever since Ronaldo joined Juventus, the team has lacked a proper center forward."
"Compared to Haaland, I'd prefer Real Madrid to sign Theodore Bjorn. This player's football IQ and passing technique are outstanding. He could be groomed as Modrić's successor."
...
After returning to Oslo, the Norwegian national team did not rest.
They immediately resumed training the very next day.
Two days later, the Norwegian national team was set to host the Swedish national team at the Ullevaal Stadium.
Undoubtedly, this was another fierce battle.
Both Norway and Sweden are Nordic countries and neighbors.
Adding to the intrigue, Norway's head coach, Lars Lagerbäck, is Swedish.
This results in the two teams having very similar tactical styles, both placing great emphasis on physical confrontation.
Most crucially, there is significant player movement between the two countries' leagues.
This means there aren't many secrets between Norway and Sweden.
To win this crucial match, Lars Lagerbäck conducted extensive tactical drills during training.
After two days of careful consideration, Lars Lagerbäck decided to start Theodore Bjorn, Haaland, and Ødegaard together from the outset.
...
March 27, 2019.
Ullevaal Stadium.
3:00 PM.
The clash between Norway and Sweden is about to erupt.
Inside the Sky Sports Studio, commentators Martin Tyler and Gary Neville once again team up to call this match.
"Welcome, football fans, to the second round of the European Championship qualifiers, where Norway hosts Sweden at the Ullevaal Stadium," Tyler began.
"As always, let's start by introducing the starting lineups for both sides. For the home team Norway, several changes have been made compared to the previous match, with players like Theodore Bjorn and Haaland earning starting spots. The specific formation is as follows:"
"Goalkeeper: Jarstein. Four defenders: Elabdellaoui, Nordtveit, Ajer, Aleesami. Four midfielders: Ødegaard, Selnæs, Henriksen, Theodore Bjorn. Two forwards: Bjørn Johnsen, Erling Haaland."
"As for Sweden, coach Andersson has named the following starting lineup: Goalkeeper: Olsen. Four defenders: Augustinsson, Granqvist, Helander, Krafth. Four midfielders: Claesson, Ekdal, Kristoffer Olsson, Sebastian Larsson. Two forwards: Quaison, Marcus Berg."
"In the first round, Norway narrowly defeated Spain 3–2 away, while Sweden also secured a 2–1 victory over Romania in their opener. Both teams have started with a win. Norway's total squad value is €94.15 million, while Sweden's is €20.45 million. However, Sweden's world ranking is 14th, far higher than Norway's 42nd."
"The starting players from both teams have already stepped onto the field with the referee team."
At this moment, in the stands of the Ullevaal Stadium, Norwegian fans cheered in unison, continuously rallying the players on the pitch.
In the family section, Theodore Bjorn's father, Xia Dongguo, his mother Marianne Bjorn and several friends had all turned on their phone cameras to record the match.
After the players exchanged handshakes, the battle officially began.
Norway kicked off first.
Haaland passed the ball to Ødegaard in the center and immediately charged into Sweden's penalty area.
Ødegaard didn't immediately pass the ball to Haaland but instead delivered it to Theodore Bjorn.
The moment he received the ball, the entire Ullevaal Stadium erupted in applause.
Then, Theodore Bjorn suddenly delivered an overhead long pass.
The ball swiftly dropped into Sweden's penalty area.
Without a doubt, his target was Haaland.
At this moment, Haaland, bursting into the penalty area, leaped into the air and unleashed a powerful header.
The ball narrowly missed the post.
Norway almost scored right from the start!
At this point, the broadcast camera suddenly focused on a middle-aged man and a young woman seated in the VIP box.
Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler immediately showcased his remarkable recognition skills.
"And there we see Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of the Norwegian royal family and his daughter, Princess Ingrid," Tyler noted.
"Who would have thought the Norwegian royal family would attend the match in person. It seems Norway places great importance on this game."
Inside the VIP box, Haakon Magnus also personally applauded Haaland's header.
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