Northern Ireland’s Dugdale: ‘No Pressure’ for Euro 2025 Play-off Second Leg

Rachel Dugdale, a defender for Northern Ireland under Tanya Oxtoby, has stated that her team faces “no pressure” as they head into the second leg of their Euro 2025 play-off against Norway. Norway, considered the favorites, secured a dominant 4-0 victory in the first leg at Inver Park and aims to complete their qualification in Oslo on Tuesday. Dugdale acknowledged that Friday’s initial match was a “tough one” but emphasized that Tanya Oxtoby’s young squad would gain valuable experience from it. The Blackburn Rovers defender commented, “It is a free hit because there is no pressure so let’s go for it.” She further elaborated on the team’s perspective, stating, “It’s another opportunity to learn. We want to play against these big hitters. It’s another test to challenge ourselves. “If we want to be playing at the Euros we have to start beating teams like this, so it’s another chance to see how we fare against them.” During the first half of the previous match, Caroline Graham Hansen scored twice, and Tuva Hansen also found the net before the interval. Although Northern Ireland showed improvement in the second half, Guro Bergsvand ultimately added a fourth goal for Norway. Dugdale credited Oxtoby’s half-time team talk for helping the players regain composure, leading to their improved second-half performance. She explained, “You’re not sure what to expect at half-time when you know you’ve not been good enough. “It can go either way, but it was great of the coaches to stay level-headed. It helped us put in a better second half performance because it was tactical and informative, rather than emotional. “You always want to play against the best and see how you fare. It was a great challenge and great experience.”