Norway need nerve as Denmark call
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
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While Norway's Egil Olsen says Saturday's Nordic derby has "captured the imagination in both countries", Denmark's Morten Olsen thinks the Group H leaders are under pressure.
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His team are top with a perfect record but Norway coach Egil Olsen thinks it is the winner of Saturday's Scandinavian derby against Denmark who will be "in the driving seat" in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying Group H.
With three wins from three, Egil Olsen's side are two points above Portugal and three ahead of their weekend visitors to Oslo. Olsen, who is without first-choice goalkeeper Jon Knudsen, preferred right-back Tom Høgli and influential striker John Carew, knows the fixture cannot be dismissed as just another match.
"I know that's difficult," said the 68-year-old 'Drillo', who will be replaced by FC København coach Ståle Solbakken at the end of the EURO campaign. "This is a match that has captured the imagination in both countries. This game is of huge importance.
"I've coached Norway for ten years now, and I've lost only one qualifying game at the Ullevaal [Stadion]," added Olsen. "Denmark were at the FIFA World Cup and have several good players. Their style is based around possession. They play a type of football we are used to facing, and which we like to play against. I am more concerned with the factors that can tip the game against us, in what I predict will be a tight contest."
If from a Danish perspective the rivalry with Norway is not as intense as that with Sweden, there is history aplenty between the teams nonetheless. Erik Dyreborg's five goals in a 5-0 away win for Denmark in 1967 stands out, while October 1985 represents another milestone: behind at half-time, the Danes eventually emerged as 5-1 victors to all but rubber-stamp their first World Cup finals place. They are likely to have their work cut out this time around, however.
"I do not think it that significant that Norway are three points ahead of us, as you have to remember that they still have to play us and Portugal away," said Danish coach Morten Olsen. "We will have the away games against Norway and Portugal [a 3-1 defeat in October] behind us after Saturday.
"But we cannot lose to Norway in [the] Parken [Stadion on 6 September]," added the 61-year-old, Denmark coach since 2000. "The way I see it, we simply cannot – so there is also enormous pressure on the Norwegians."
