EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS - 2014/16 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS Ullevaal Stadion - Oslo Monday 13 October 2014 20.45CET (20.45 local time) Norway Group H - Matchday 3 Bulgaria Last updated 03/06/2015 03:43CET EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS OFFICIAL SPONSORS Match background 2 Legend 3 1 Norway - Bulgaria Monday 13 October 2014 - 20.45CET (20.45 local time) Match press kit Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo Match background Norway are on the lookout for their first home victory against Bulgaria, with the sides' UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group H encounter their fourth UEFA European Championship meeting in Oslo. Match background • Norway's record in 12 internationals against Bulgaria is W2 D4 L6 (W2 D2 L3 at home, W0 D2 L3 in Sofia). However, they won their only 21st-century encounter with Bulgaria 2-1, a 25 April 2001 friendly fixture in Oslo, Øyvind Leonhardsen (75 and 76) scoring twice to overturn Marian Hristov's first-minute opener. • The sides first met in 1958 FIFA World Cup qualifying: Bulgaria won 2-1 in Oslo on 22 May 1957, then prevailed 7-0 the return leg in Sofia on 3 November that year. That is Norway's second-worst result in a World Cup match, following a 9-0 loss to the Netherlands in qualifying for the 1974 finals. • The nations have been paired in three previous UEFA European Championship qualifying campaigns, with Norway yet to win in three home matches against Bulgaria (D1 L2). • In 1968 qualifying, Dobromir Tashkov's Bulgaria beat Ragnar Larsen's Norway 4-2 in Oslo on 13 November 1966, Nikola Tzanev (18 and 43) and Petar Jekov (42 and 85) on target twice for the home side, while Kjetil Hasund scored both of Norway's goals (59 and 86). Wilhelm Kment's Norway held Bulgaria – then under the leadership of Stefan Bozhkov – to a 0-0 draw in the return fixture on 29 June 1967. • Vasil Spesov's Bulgaria were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Norway in their first 1972 UEFA European Championship qualifier on 15 November 1970, Tor Fuglset (83) cancelling out Tsvetan Atanasov's 29th-minute opener to earn a point for Øivind Johannessen's visitors. Spasov's side won the away leg 4-1 on 9 June 1971, Hristo Bonev (26 and 42) striking twice either side of efforts from Petar Jekov (29) and Mladen Vasilev (37) to put Bulgaria 4- 0 up at the break. Odd Iversen (80) – the father of another Norway striker, Steffen Iversen – struck back for the home side. • The sides' most recent competitive meetings were in qualifying for the 1984 UEFA European Championship: Ivan Vutzov's Bulgaria were held 2-2 at home on 27 October 1982 – Boycho Velitchkov (13) put them ahead, but Hallvar Thoresen's penalty (17) and an Arne Økland strike (66) turned the tables before Plamen Nikolov (68) got it back to 2- 2. However, Tor Røste Fossen's side were undone at home on 7 September 1983, Stoycho Mladenov (11) and Nasko Sirakov (51) on target after Åge Hareide had given Norway a fourth-minute lead. • Bulgaria have had the better of the eight meetings between the nations at UEFA youth and age-limit levels: W4 D2 L2. • The nations' clubs have met seven times in UEFA competition, with Bulgaria having the better of those encounters: W3 D3 L1 (W3 D1 L0 at home, W0 D2 L1 in Norway). 2 Norway - Bulgaria Monday 13 October 2014 - 20.45CET (20.45 local time) Match press kit Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo Legend :: Previous meetings Goals for/against: Goal totals include the outcome of disciplinary decisions (e.g. match forfeits when a 3-0 result is determined). Goals totals do not include goals scored during a penalty shoot-out after a tie ended in a draw :: Squad list Qual.: Total European Qualifiers appearances/goals for UEFA EURO 2016 only. FT: Total UEFA EURO 2016 appearances/goals in final tournament only. Overall: Total international appearances/goals. DoB: Date of birth Age: Based on the date press kit was last updated D: Disciplinary (*: misses next match if booked, S: suspended) :: Team facts EURO finals: The UEFA European Championship was a four-team event in 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1976 (when the preliminary round and quarter-finals were considered part of qualifying). From 1980 it was expanded to an eight-team finals and remained in that format in 1984, 1988 and 1992 until 1996, when the 16-team format was adopted. UEFA EURO 2016 is the first tournament to be played as a 24-team finals. Records of inactive countries A number of UEFA associations have been affected by dissolution or splits of member associations. For statistical purposes, the records of these inactive countries have been allocated elsewhere: therefore, all Soviet Union matches are awarded to Russia; all West Germany – but not East Germany – matches are awarded to Germany; all Yugoslavia and Serbia & Montenegro matches are awarded to Serbia; all Czechoslovakia matches are allocated to both the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Abandoned/forfeited matches For statisical purposes, when a match has been started and then abandoned but later forfeited, the result on the pitch at the time of abandonment is counted. Matches that never started and were either cancelled or forfeited are not included in the overall statistics. Competitions Other abbreviations (aet): After extra time pens: Penalties No.: Number og: Own goal ag: Match decided on away goals P: Penalty agg: Aggregate Pld: Matches played AP: Appearances Pos.: Position Comp.: Competition Pts: Points D: Drawn R: Sent off (straight red card) DoB: Date of birth Res.: Result ET: Extra Time sg: Match decided by silver goal GA: Goals against t: Match decided by toss of a coin GF: Goals for W: Won gg: Match decided by golden goal Y: Booked L: Lost Y/R: Sent off (two yellow cards) Nat.: Nationality N/A: Not applicable Disclaimer: Although UEFA has taken all reasonable care that the information contained within this document is accurate at the time of publication, no representation or guarantee (including liability towards third parties), expressed or implied, is made as to its accuracy, reliability or completeness. Therefore, UEFA assumes no liability for the use or interpretation of information contained herein. More information can be found in the competition regulations available on UEFA.com. 3.