Spain bar way to semi-finals for Norway

After ending Germany's long unbeaten record in UEFA Women's EURO play, Norway must now overcome the hurdle of an up-and-coming Spain team if they want to reach the semi-finals in Sweden.

Head-to-head record
• The pair have met on two previous occasions. Both games ended in a Norway victory, with Spain yet to score against the Nordic nation.

• The two countries have only crossed paths previously during qualifying for UEFA Women's EURO 2005. Their first encounter in Las Rozas on 16 November 2003 ended in a 2-0 away win. Dagny Mellgren (28) and Ingrid Fosse Sæthre (83) scored the visitors' goals. Sandra Vilanova and Elisabeth Ibarra started for the hosts, while Erika Vázquez and Melisa were named among the substitutes by Spain coach Ignacio Quereda. Marit Fiane Christiansen started for Norway, with Trine Rønning on the bench.

• Headers from Ragnhild Gulbrandsen (70) and Marit Fiane Christensen (83) gave Norway a 2-0 victory when the two teams met again in Porsgrunn nearly 11 months later. UEFA Women's EURO 2013 captain Ingvild Stensland started the game on 2 October 2004. Vázquez and Melisa were also handed starts this time along with Sandra, with Ibarra relegated to the bench.

• The two countries were paired in the group stage of the 2011 UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship in Italy. Kristine Hegland captained the side and scored in Norway's 5-1 win, which took her country into the semi-finals. Mellisa Bjånesøy struck twice while Cathrine Høegh Dekkerhus and Ada Hegeberg also started, and Caroline Graham Hansen was a substitute. Nagore Calderón featured in Spain's first XI.

• Hoegh Dekkerus led the Norwegian team that lost 2-0 to their U17 counterparts in the 2009 finals in Nyon. Emile Haavi also started the game.

• The previous year, Norway's U19 side registered a 2-1 triumph in the group stage in France. Marta Torrejón started for Spain; Maren Mjelde, Ingvild Isaksen and Ingrid Ryland were all in Norway's starting XI.

• Quereda was in charge of the Spanish U19 team beaten 2-1 by Norway in the group stage in Germany in 2003. Melisa, Ruth García and Sonia all started for Spain.

• The pair also met at U19 level in the third qualifying round in 2002. Sonia started and scored for Spain in the 2-2 draw, while Vázquez also played.

Norway
• Norway took top spot in Group B thanks to a 1-0 defeat of Germany in Kalmar. Ingvild Isaksen's goal (45+1) ended the holders' long unbeaten run in UEFA European Women's Championship matches.

• Germany had not lost a UEFA European Women's Championship fixture since a 3-1 home qualifying defeat by Norway on 2 May 1996. The 59-game unbeaten run included 53 wins and six draws.

• Solveig Gulbrandsen (54) scored the only goal of the game as Norway defeated the Netherlands in Kalmar in their second group game to initially keep pace with Germany atop the section on four points.

• Norway lost both their opening fixtures in the 2005 and 2009 finals, so their 1-1 draw with Iceland to open the 2013 edition was an improvement. Nevertheless, they were left disappointed in Kalmar as an 87th-minute penalty from Margrét Lára Vidarsdóttir denied them all three points. Even Pellerud's team had led from the 26th minute, when Hegland got the better of the Iceland defence.

• Norway lost two of their first four qualifiers in Iceland and Northern Ireland but won all six fixtures in 2012 to top their section and maintain a record of qualifying every time since their 1987 triumph; only once have they not made the last four (1997).

• However, coach Eli Landsem's contract was not renewed at the end of 2012, meaning a return for Pellerud from Trinidad and Tobago. Pellerud was in charge for Norway's second EURO victory in 1993.

• Norway have reached at least the semi-finals in the last three UEFA Women's EUROs. They were beaten 1-0 by Germany in their last-four encounter in the 2001 edition, in which teams went straight to the semi-finals after the group stage.

• They lost 3-1 to the same opponents in the 2005 final having again gone straight to the last four after the group stage.

• Having beaten Sweden 3-1 in the quarter-finals in Finland in 2009, Germany once again proved Norway's bête noire, recording a 3-1 win in their last-four tie.

• Norway's overall UEFA European Women's Championship record (including qualifying) reads: Played 112 Won 77 Drawn 17 Lost 18

Spain
• Spain ended Group C as runners-up to France, concluding their group stage campaign with a 1-1 draw against Russia. Verónica Boquete put Spain ahead on 14 minutes in Norrkoping, but Elena Terekhova levelled a minute before the interval.

• Spain missed the chance to win the section when they lost 1-0 to France in their second outing, Wendie Renard's early header taking Les Bleues through as group winners instead. Before that, Ignacio Quereda's troops beat England 3-2 after a thrilling finale.

• On 24 November 2011, Spain came back from two down with goals from Boquete and Willy to hold Germany 2-2 in Motril. That ended Germany's run of 38 straight Women's EURO, and 36 consecutive qualifying, wins dating back to November 1999.

• Then, on 5 April 2012, María Paz scored seven times in a 13-0 defeat of Kazakhstan in Madrid, the most goals scored by an individual in a Women's EURO game.

• However, that came a few days after a 5-0 loss in Germany, and a subsequent 4-3 defeat in Switzerland meant Spain had to settle for a play-off.

• They drew the first leg with Scotland 1-1 at Hampden Park, Adriana equalising but missing a penalty, and had to come from behind in the Madrid return to force extra time. There, they fell behind on 98 minutes and although Silvia Meseguer levelled on 113 minutes, Spain remained behind on away goals. When Boquete had a 119th-minute penalty saved it seemed all over, but deep in added time she found the target for a dramatic victory.

• Spain's only previous qualification was in 1997, when they reached the semi-finals. However, their Women's U17s (2010 and 2011) and U19s (2004) teams have both won European titles and this is the only UEFA national-team competition (including men, women, youth and futsal) that Spain have never won.

• Spain's UEFA European Women's Championship record (including qualifying) reads: Played 86 Won 26 Drawn 21 Lost 36.