Everything is possible. That’s the mantra which Tanya Oxtoby has been espousing to her players in training this week.
The Northern Ireland senior women’s boss knows her team are massive underdogs as they prepare for the first instalment of a two-legged UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 play-off final against Norway.
But she insists her players will be up for it when they face the Norwegians at Inver Park in Larne later today (7pm kick-off).
And she has been telling them that they have nothing to fear and that everything is possible.
In her Manager’s View column in the programme for the match, she points out: “From our perspective we will be focusing on our ourselves rather than dwelling on who we are up against.
“We will be concentrating on how we want to play and the way we want to execute things.
“If we get the process right for 90-plus minutes then we will give ourselves a chance of winning the game or at the very least getting something from the game ahead of the second leg in Oslo next week.”
Norway have a star-studded squad, from Lyon striker Ada Hegerberg, the first ever winner of the Ballon d'Or Féminin back in 2018, to Barcelona winger Caroline Graham Hansen, who was pipped to the Ballon d'Or Féminin crown this year by club mate and 2023 winner Aitana Bonmatí.
They also have some familiar faces from the WSL in their ranks, including Chelsea midfielder Guro Reiten, Arsenal midfielder Frida Maanum and Manchester United forward Celin Bizet Ildhusoy. And their defence includes former Chelsea star Maren Mjelde, who is now back playing her club football in her homeland with Arna-Bjornar.
On top of that they are ranked 16th in the world compared to Northern Ireland in 45th place.
Oxtoby further says: “Obviously we respect Norway. We have a lot of respect for what they have done over the years. They are, after all, former World, Olympic and European champions. They have been leading lights in women’s football for a long time.
“However, we will not be daunted by their history. We want to focus solely on our performance because that is all that we can control.
“I firmly believe everything is possible at this point and it’s in our own hands.”
Northern Ireland will be without Nottingham Forest Women striker Casey Howe for the first leg of the final due to injury, however she may be fit for the second leg at the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo on Tuesday (5pm start GMT).
Crusaders Strikers defender Rachel McLaren, who was on the standby list, has been drafted into the squad for tonight’s game, while all the other players in the panel are fit and raring to go.
Northern Ireland captain Simone Magill told media last night that she believes all the pressure will be on Norway, who will be expected to brush aside the underdogs over the two legs.
And she added: "We've been underdogs our whole lives so it's something that we are used to. We've absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain.
"As long as we go into this game and stick together as a group, and apply ourselves in the best way possible, it gives us a really good chance to go after it."
A place at UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 in Switzerland is guaranteed for the winners of the two-legged play-off final.
Tickets for the game at Inver Park are still available at irishfa.com/tickets.
Training at Inver Park
