Norway dominated Thailand 4-0 to sit atop Group B

Norway provided Women’s World Cup fans the first blowout of the tournament after dismantling Thailand 4-0 on Sunday.

The result was not unexpected.

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Norway, the world’s 11th-ranked team, is one of the favorites to advance to the knockout rounds in Group B and Thailand was a late add to the World Cup after it qualified by virtue of North Korean players testing positive for steroids and being banned from the competition.

Still, Thailand made it interesting early with a quality chance in the eighth minute, but that was one of very few opportunities.

Norway opened the scoring in the 15th minute when Trine Ronning swung a free kick over the wall and past the outstretched arm of goalkeeper Waraporn Boonsing, who tipped the ball into the side netting.

Norway would add two more goals by Isabell Herlovsen in the half to essentially put the game out of reach.

Ada Hegerberg, Norway’s 19-year-old phenom, added the last goal in the 68th minute.

The result was exactly what Norway wanted heading into a tough second game against Germany — a game that likely will decide first and second place in Group B. (The Germans crushed the Ivory Coast in their opening match, 10-0.) With Herlovsen and Hegerberg, Norway’s top scoring threats, getting early goals, the Norway offense should have a lot of confidence going against a German team that is one of the world’s best on both sides of the ball.

As for Thailand, there were some bright spots, including a saved penalty kick by Boonsing and a flurry of opportunities late in the contest that the squad could draw on heading into its next match against the Ivory Coast.

That Thursday game could be pivotal for one of those teams to get into the knockout rounds via one of the four third-place entries.

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Follow Graham Watson on Twitter @Yahoo_Graham