LONDON (Interstat) — Norway U23 W scored once in each half and defeated England U23 W 2-0 on Monday in a women’s under-23 football match, using an early breakthrough and a second-half finish to secure the result on the road.

Ronja Arnesen put Norway U23 W ahead in the 8th minute, converting the match’s first goal after the visitors pressed England U23 W early. The goal gave Norway U23 W a lead it protected with disciplined play and kept England U23 W from establishing rhythm in the opening stages.

Josefine Birkelund doubled the advantage in the 68th minute, finishing Norway U23 W’s second goal and effectively putting the game out of reach. England U23 W could not answer before the final whistle, and Norway U23 W closed out the clean sheet.

The two goals came in the order that shaped the contest. Arnesen’s eighth-minute strike set the tone for Norway U23 W, while Birkelund’s second-half goal gave the visitors enough cushion to withstand any late pressure from England U23 W. Norway U23 W managed the remaining minutes without conceding, and England U23 W finished without a goal.

With the victory, Norway U23 W improved to 1-0 in the competition and 2-0 across all competitions. England U23 W fell to 0-1 in the competition and 0-1 overall. Norway U23 W’s other result this season was a 3-0 home win over Portugal U23 W, a match that helped the team carry momentum into the contest.

England U23 W entered as the home side but could not turn that advantage into a goal. The team’s record in the competition now stands at 0-1, and its overall mark is also 0-1. The match marked a difficult outing for England U23 W, which was unable to recover after falling behind in the first 10 minutes.

Norway U23 W’s defense held firm after taking the lead, limiting England U23 W’s chances to pull one back. The visitors managed the closing stages by keeping possession when possible and clearing danger when England U23 W pushed numbers forward. England U23 W, meanwhile, was left to review a home performance that produced no goals.

Arnesen and Birkelund were the key attacking performers for Norway U23 W. Arnesen scored in the 8th minute, and Birkelund added the second in the 68th minute. Their goals accounted for all of Norway U23 W’s scoring, and they came at important moments in each half.

The win continued Norway U23 W’s strong start to the season. After the earlier victory over Portugal U23 W, Norway U23 W now has two wins from two matches across all competitions and one win from one match in this competition. England U23 W remains in search of its first win of the season across all competitions and in the competition.

Norway U23 W finished the match with a clean sheet and a road victory. England U23 W could not find a response after the second goal, and its home supporters saw the team finish without a goal. The result leaves Norway U23 W unbeaten in the competition and England U23 W still looking for its first competition win.

The match was decided by Norway U23 W’s ability to score in two different phases. Arnesen’s opener came before England U23 W had settled, and Birkelund’s finish arrived after the break, when England U23 W was pushing for an equalizer. Norway U23 W’s two-goal margin reflected the visitors’ efficiency in front of goal, while England U23 W’s scoreless afternoon left the home side without a breakthrough.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Norway U23 W 1, England U23 W 0. Interstat’s ELO system had projected England U23 W with a 63.1 percent probability to win.