FRIDA MAANUM helped ten-player Norway thwart England’s hopes of an end-of-year win by clinching a draw with the Euros champions.
Just as it looked as if the Lionesses would claim a victory the Arsenal star pounced on a goalkeeping error to nab a 1-1 draw.
Following a 4-0 hammering of Japan, Sarina Wiegman made a few first eleven changes with Lauren James among her starters alongside debutant Maya Le Tissier.
And Rachel Daly started up top for the Euros winners with England’s number nine spot up for grabs.
The Aston Villa hotshot, who normally plays as a left-back, rewarded her boss by netting her second goal in the second of the Lionesses’ two November internationals.
On scoring her team’s opener, Daly told ITV Sport: “I’m delighted to be on the score sheet.
“As a forward coming into the game that was my target to score.
“Ultimately we didn’t win which is disappointing but we’re ending the year with a 20-game unbeaten run.
“I love the number nine position, but I love football, I say it to everyone, I am happy to play everywhere.
Read More Sports Stories
“It is special wearing the number nine shirt, it was the number my dad wore when he played so even more special.
“But I’m prepared for both positions always, I can’t just focus on one. It’s nice to have that role.”
Despite the result, England extended their unbeaten run under Wiegman to 26 games on Tuesday night.
The England chief said: “Did we do enough to win? No, because we didn’t.
“We tried enough – we did a lot to score that second goal, but it didn’t go in.”
“Although I’m a little disappointed with this game, it’s really incredible what has happened since last September
Most read in Football
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
“We have a lot of players making debuts now. We got a lot of information from these games, to get ready for the World Cup.
On the equaliser, Wiegman added: “It’s disappointing, but these things happen sometimes, and when it happens to the goalkeeper, then it’s a goal.
“As a team, we had to score another goal, and that’s what we tried to do.
The last time the two sides faced off, the Lionesses wiped the floor with their opponents in an 8-0 Euros group stage trouncing at the Amex.
But last night’s match saw their opponents, now under the management of former England boss Hege Riise, put in a more defensively solid shift.
Norway without the services of Ada Hegerberg, Caroline Graham Hansen, and skipper Maren Mjelde tested their rivals in the second minute.
Emilie Haavi forced a decent save from Ellie Roebuck at the near post.
Later Guro Reiten fired wide of the left post after being put through by the Haavi who had put in a good shift on the flank.
The 0-0 scoreline lasted until the 33rd minute with Daly nodding England in front following a probing cross from Chloe Kelly.
And Reiten forced a diving save from Roebuck with her free kick looking destined for the top corner.
Norway looked as if they would be for a far tougher night with Anja Sønstevold given her marching orders for a shirt tug on Nikita Parris.
It was her second foul of the game against the forward.
But super substitute Maanum came to Riise’s side’s rescue denying Roebuck the chance of a clean sheet following a solid shift in goal.
The midfielder pounced on the goalkeeper’s missed clearance to net an 80th-minute leveller and a hard-fought draw.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
