Norway 1-1 Netherlands: Klaassen salvages a point for new coach van Gaal after Haaland opener

Haaland
opened
the
scoring
with
his
first
goal
of
Norway’s
qualifying
campaign
at
the
Ullevaal
Stadion
on
Wednesday
(September
1),
but
Davy
Klaassen
equalised
in
the
first
half.

Prolific
Borussia
Dortmund
striker
Haaland
struck
the
post
in
the
second
half
in
Oslo,
where
neither
side
could
fashion
a
winner.

A
draw
in
Van
Gaal’s
first
game
in
his
third
spell
as
coach
of
his
country
leaves
both
the
Netherlands
and
Norway
a
point
behind
Group
G
leaders
Turkey,
who
were
held
to
a
2-2
draw
by
Montenegro.

Cody
Gakpo
was
handed
a
first
Netherlands
start
and
he
had
two
early
chances
to
open
the
scoring,
Andre
Hansen
palming
his
header
wide
before
the
forward
bent
a
shot
wide
from
just
outside
the
penalty
area.

Oranje
debutant
Justin
Bijlow
came
out
quickly
and
made
himself
big
to
deny
Haaland
when
Jens
Hauge
sent
him
clear
with
an
incisive
pass,
but
the
Dortmund
frontman
put
Norway
in
front
20
minutes
in.

Memphis
Depay
was
at
fault,
losing
possession
in
his
own
half,
and
Haaland
controlled
a
ball
over
the
top
from
Stefan
Strandberg
before
poking
into
the
far
corner
with
his
left
foot
as
returning
captain
Virgil
van
Dijk’s
desperate
last-ditch
tackle
was
in
vain.

The
Netherlands
responded
well
and
they
were
level
nine
minutes
before
the
break,
Klaassen
bursting
into
the
box
to
convert
Georginio
Wijnaldum’s
cross
from
close
range.

Depay
stung
Hansen’s
palms
and
Donyell
Malen,
who
replaced
Steven
Berghuis
at
half-time,
flashed
a
shot
wide
as
the
Oranje
dictated
the
play
after
the
interval.

Haaland
ought
to
have
restored
Norway’s
lead
on
the
break
after
64
minutes,
when
he
rattled
the
inside
of
the
post
with
a
left-foot
strike
after
Martin
Odegaard
slipped
him
in.

Denzel
Dumfries
missed
a
great
chance
to
snatch
all
three
points
with
the
last
kick
of
the
game,
but
a
late
Montenegro
equaliser
was
a
boost
for
both
sides.