Fit-again Marissa Callaghan: Norway may not be able to stomach Northern Ireland’s Big Mac in Euro opener
Defiant skipper says Kenny Shiels’s girls are ready stop and stun their big-name opposition
Marissa Callaghan, pictured at St Mary’s stadium, Southampton, is backing Northern Ireland to stun former world champions Norway
William Cherry/Presseye
Marissa Callaghan believes that Northern Ireland have the players to not just stop Norway’s world-class strikers, but to also stun the former world champions and make their first appearance in a major tournament one that will go down in folklore.
Barcelona star Caroline Graham Hansen hit a hat-trick against Northern Ireland in qualifying and since topping the group the already formidable Norway attack has welcomed back former Women’s Ballon d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg, who has just won the Women’s Champions League with Lyon, after a five-year self-imposed exile.
In comparison Northern Ireland could line up with two part-time Irish League players in the defensive unit that will fight to keep them at bay at St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton tonight, but that won’t phase Callaghan and her team mates, who did manage to stop England’s record goalscorer Ellen White from adding to her tally in two recent World Cup qualifiers.
“We do have Big Mac (Sarah McFadden) in at centre-half, she has stopped a lot of top strikers in the last number of years and I have no doubt that our defence will make it tough for her,” said Callaghan.
“Caroline Graham Hansen is a player with quality, she has pace, she likes to drive at players and she can score goals, but we have a fantastic number of defenders who are up for the challenge.
“Hegerberg is a top player, we know that, but we come up against top players in every game. We played England at Wembley and Windsor Park, we came up against top players in the Austria team recently too.”
Callaghan declared herself fit after being a doubt with a foot injury before the finals and is now hungry to really make her mark on the big stage.
“We know exactly how hard that challenge is going to be, we know the calibre of player that we are up against, but we are here, we are in the top 16 teams in Europe at the finals and we are here to cause an upset.”
Most Read
- 19th century Shakespear House in south Belfast goes on the market for £895k
- ‘As an east Antrim Protestant, I’m just jealous we don’t have something like Feile an Phobail’, says regular attendee of west Belfast festival
- Popular Portstewart tearoom to close after owner receives £4,000 electricity bill
- Feile an Phobail: Director defends ‘popular’ Wolfe Tones concert as DUP hits back at claims of funding ‘carve up’
- Former Pop Idol star Darius Campbell Danesh dies aged 41
Top Videos
Play
Play
Latest International
- Manchester United loan Northern Ireland youth international to injury-hit Altrincham
- GAWA relief: Greek FA finally confirms the venue for next month’s Nations League clash
- Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough left to rue Daniel Ballard’s broken foot
- £40 for Northern Ireland v Kosovo... Irish FA failing to hit the target again on ticket prices
- ‘Caoimhín Kelleher wasn’t injured with us’ – Stephen Kenny hits back at Jurgen Klopp over Ireland goalkeeper’s setback
Latest
- Linfield striker Eetu Vertainen has his eyes fixed on Europa Conference League glory
- Rory McIlroy hails ‘alpha’ figure Tiger Woods after players meet to discuss LIV
- Paul Collingwood backs Ollie Pope to lead England fightback at Lord’s
- Thousands of spectators enjoy return of Dublin Horse Show after pandemic
- Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss promise to protect Northern Ireland’s place in union during Belfast Conservatives hustings event