Norway rout Northern Ireland 4-1 at women’s Euros

SOUTHAMPTON, England: Northern Ireland were outclassed in their major tournament debut as Norway earned a comprehensive 4-1 victory in their group-stage opener at the women’s European Championship.

First-half finishes from Julie Blakstad and Frida Maanum, plus a penalty by Caroline Graham Hansen, put the two-time European champions on course for a routine win to dampen the occasion for their opponents.

Defender Julie Nelson — Northern Ireland’s most-capped female player — gave the competition’s lowest-ranked nation brief hope of an unlikely comeback by heading in a landmark goal just after the interval.

But Guro Reiten’s free kick sealed the win for Martin Sjogren’s side to move it level on three points with host England at the top of Group A.

A difficult evening for Kenny Shiels’ team was compounded by forward Simone Magill leaving the field in tears late on with an injury.

Following Wednesday’s record-breaking Old Trafford attendance of 68,871 for the championship opener, a more modest crowd of 9,146 turned out in the sunshine at St. Mary’s, with a sizeable contingent from each nation.

Blakstad, a Manchester City midfielder, scored the 10th-minute opener by beating goalkeeper Jackie Burns at her near post with a low, left-footed drive after right-back Abbie Magee was caught well out of position.

Maanum swiftly doubled the advantage after she dispossessed Chloe McCarron just outside the Northern Ireland 18-yard box following a poorly executed goal kick and was then left with a simple finish into an unguarded net after receiving the ball back from the unselfish Ada Hegerberg.

While Shiels’ team showed spurts of enterprise on the break, the one-way traffic continued.

Northern Ireland were regularly being carved