Martin Odegaard was left furious with Bernardo Silva after the Portugal midfielder made a late challenge on the Norway captain during Portugal’s 2–1 victory at Ullevaal Stadium.
The incident happened in stoppage time as Norway pushed for an equaliser. Silva, who had come on late in the match, caught Odegaard from behind after the Arsenal midfielder had already played the ball.
Odegaard appeared to be in pain after the challenge and was visibly angry with Silva. Speaking to TV2 after the match, the Norway captain questioned why the Portugal player had made the tackle so long after he had released the ball.
“It was a lack of judgement from him,” Odegaard said, describing the challenge as something that had no place on a football pitch. He also said he had taken a blow to his ankle and hoped the discomfort would improve over the following days.
The incident also drew criticism from Norway midfielder Patrick Berg, who described the challenge as unnecessary and said it appeared deliberate. Andreas Schjelderup also criticised the tackle, although Portugal forward Goncalo Ramos played down the incident as something that can happen during matches.
Silva offered a brief response after the game, saying: “My friend, it’s football.” The comment did little to ease the reaction from the Norwegian camp.
Despite Norway’s frustration, Portugal held on for a 2–1 victory in Oslo. The result overshadowed a strong performance from the hosts, who created opportunities while attempting to come back in the closing stages.
The focus now turns to Odegaard’s condition, with Norway hoping the Arsenal captain has not suffered a significant injury from the late challenge.