Northern Ireland defender Rachel Dugdale says there is “no pressure” on the underdogs in the second leg of their Euro 2025 play-off in Norway.
Norway delivered on their favourites tag with a commanding 4-0 win at Inver Park and will look to finish the job in Oslo on Tuesday.
Dugdale admits that Friday’s game was a “tough one” but Tanya Oxtoby’s youthful side will learn from the experience.
“It is a free hit because there is no pressure so let’s go for it,” said the Blackburn Rovers defender.
“It’s another opportunity to learn. We want to play against these big hitters. It’s another test to challenge ourselves.
“If we want to be playing at the Euros we have to start beating teams like this, so it’s another chance to see how we fare against them.”
Caroline Graham Hansen scored twice in the first half while Tuva Hansen also netted before the break.
Northern Ireland improved in the second half, however Guro Bergsvand added a fourth.
Dugdale added the half-time team talk by Oxtoby helped the players settle.
“You’re not sure what to expect at half-time when you know you’ve not been good enough.
“It can go either way, but it was great of the coaches to stay level-headed. It helped us put in a better second half performance because it was tactical and informative, rather than emotional.
“You always want to play against the best and see how you fare. It was a great challenge and great experience.”