Encounter brings back memories

By Paul Saffer

A decade after their last meeting in a UEFA European Women's Championship semi-final, Scandinavian rivals Norway and Sweden resume their great rivalry tonight.

Nordic Cup
The first met on 7 July 1978 when Norway made their debut in the four-year-old Nordic Cup. The more experienced Swedes won 2-1, and by the time they were drawn together in the first European Competition for Women's Football qualifying round, Norway were yet to win in five encounters.

European first
Sweden won 2-0 at home then 2-1 in Elverum, eventually winning the final in 1984. Three friendly meetings in three years followed with Sweden winning twice and drawing once, but now Norway were improving apace, and in the second European competition the two nations met in the final.

Norwegian glory
It was Sweden's first visit to Oslo, and not the only first as at the eleventh attempt Norway defeated their neighbours in what remains their sole final meeting to date. Trude Stendal scored twice in a 2-1 result that brought the Norwegians their debut international honour.

Dominance extended
The worm had now turned, and a 1988 1-0 win for Norway in the final of a FIFA-backed tournament in China was followed by a 2-1 European semi-final victory in Germany. Two years, yet another last-four meeting came about as the nations collided in the first FIFA Women's World Cup. Norway extended their unbeaten run in the fixture, winning 4-1.

Swedish revenge
A Swedish 2-1 friendly win in Nausicca in March 1992 stopped the rot, and their next competitive meeting, at the penultimate stage of the European Championship, proved happy for the Swedes. Holders Norway fell behind three times in their home leg only to win 4-3 through a last-gasp Anita Waage goal. However, despite taking the lead indoors in Jonkoping the following week through Linda Medalen, Norway were blown away by a hat-trick from substitute Lena Videkul and Sweden won 7-5 overall. Intriguingly, as in the previous last-four results between these nations, the loser went on to lose the final.

Familiar names
Norway wasted no time in restoring their advantage, defeating Sweden in their next eight meetings, culminating in a 3-1 success in the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup quarter-finals, their most recent major tournament encounter. Of those on the pitch that day, Norway's Bente Nordby, Unni Lehn, Dagny Mellgren and Solveig Gulbrandsen plus Sweden's Jane Törnqvist, Kristin Bengtsson, Malin Moström, Malin Andersson and Victoria Svensson are all in England, along with unused substitutes Hanna Ljungberg and Hanna Marklund, and coach Marika Domanski-Lyfors.

Kaufmann goal
Sweden defeated Norway the following year 2-1 in a warm-up before the Norwegians captured Olympic gold, but despite their superior results generally, the Swedes have not beaten their rivals since, losing three and drawing three, most recently 1-1 in the Algarve Cup in March, Maritha Kaufmann equalising late on to keep Norway 18-11 up in wins between the nations in 37 fixtures.