Spain 3-0 Norway: Dani Olmo opens the scoring before Joselu scores a late brace as Luis de la Fuente’s side move second in their Euro qualifying group after Scotland beat Cyprus.
What a difference it makes to have a great number nine on the bench. Spain had no plan B at the World Cup in Qatar, but all that has changed under new manager Luis de la Fuente and saw super substitute Joselu score twice in four minutes after coming off the bench to make his debut.
Spain had taken the lead in the 13th minute through Dani Olmo, but had not been inspired after the good start. In the 81st minute, the former Newcastle striker, who turns 33 next week, replaced Álvaro Morata and he headed in a cross from Fabián Ruiz just three minutes later.
At 85′ he scored the second, this time from the center of Mikel Oyarzabal and joy for Spain. However, the 3-0 was friendly for Spain. And new coach De La Fuente can consider himself lucky that Erling Haaland was not fit to play for Norway on his debut.
After Spain’s first goal, they were unable to take advantage of the start and Norway had enough of the ball to suggest that, with the Manchester City striker, it might not have been a home win in Malaga.
It was a very different line-up for Spain in De La Fuente’s first game in charge. Only Olmo, Gavi and Rodri had started in Luis Enrique’s last game in charge and Rodri returned to midfield after having been central in Qatar.
One of the survivors, Gavi, forced the first corner with a typically bold run to the bottom line. And then Olmo opened the scoring. Alejandro Balde received a pass from Morata and when he drilled towards the goal Olmo shot and skillfully deflected Orjan Nyland for the 1-0.
The good start was about to be ruined when Kepa Arrizabalaga passed the ball to Aymeric Laporte and Alex Sorloth stole a cross for Martin Odegaard. The Norway captain’s shot was no problem for Nacho, who blocked, but Rodri’s tackle on the Arsenal man just after having deflected the shot left him lying and claiming a penalty.
Norway was encouraged by the occasion and the Real Sociedad striker, Sorloth, once again caused problems through the left center for Frederik Aursnes, whose volley was well saved by Kepa.
Norway lacked just one shot and Benoit Bastien harshly admonished a frustrated Odegaard for faking kicking the ball when a decision did not go his way.
At the start of the second half, Iago Aspas headed in a Dani Carvajal cross but the 35-year-old striker, remembered after missing out on the World Cup, never tested Nyland with his shot.
Ten minutes into the second half, Kepa had to take the ball off the line after Nacho nearly deflected past his own keeper. That was the cue for Dani Ceballos and Mikel Oyarzabal to enter for Gavi and the disappointing Aspas.
Yeremy Pino replaced Olmo and ran towards Ceballos’s pass, but his shot went wide. Ceballos, who had impressed since his entry, wanted the pass back.
With 10 minutes remaining, Norway had their best chance of the second half when Patrick Berg crossed and sat down for Sorloth to bury. The 27-year-old has improved vastly since his days at Crystal Palace, but he will never be prolific and he took advantage of the chances. Once again, he left the Norwegians wondering if only Haaland had been there at the end.
That mistake cost him dearly, as Joselu took over late proving that having a great center forward is never a bad plan B, especially when plan A hasn’t worked.