Given their recent history in major tournaments, Norway could very well have folded at the first hurdle when they went behind.
It is a position they have found themselves in many times before, one they have been unable to bounce back from.
Wednesday evening proved to be a bit of a turning point in that sense, with Switzerland arguably their biggest test in Group A. Crucially, they were able to do something they have failed to do previously, and that is win when peforming below thir best.
They’re not a nation that have done well with expectations, but this opening win of EURO 2025 proves they can call on their big-name players to step up when it counts.
Despite mixed results, Graham Hansen believes scoring is the key to unlocking their potential on this stage.
“You can talk a lot about it [statistics], the most important thing is that we try to create results over time and we’ve done that,” she told NRK in a recent interview.
“It doesn’t take much to get it right… as long as we start scoring in the European Championships, I’m happy.”
Norway have plenty of work to do still if they are to qualify for the knockout rounds, and will be breathing a sigh of relief at this ideal start.
Attention now turns to games against Iceland and Finland, both ranked below them, which gives them the perfect chance to make a statement and continue bettering the psychological barriers that have held them back in the last decade.