Chelsea defender Maren Mjelde collected her 150th senior international cap for Norway as they defeated Wales 1-0 in Cardiff this evening.
The 30-year-old captained her country at the Cardiff City Stadium as they secured their qualification for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022.
Norway were the more dangerous of the two sides throughout but they had to wait until just after the hour mark to make the breakthrough when Frida Maanum rifled in the game’s only goal from 20 yards. The result now means that Norway cannot be caught by nearest challengers Wales in the race to England 2022.
Defender Mjelde’s 150th senior appearances comes 13 years on from making her debut against Russia. She has since gone on to represent her country in six consecutive major tournaments, earning a runners-up medal at UEFA Women’s EURO 2013. Mjelde is seventh in the list of most capped Norwegian players and is the most capped player in the current group. She is 38 appearances behind record appearance holder Hege Riise.
Mjelde was joined in tonight’s Norwegian line-up by Chelsea teammates Maria Thorisdottir and Guro Reiten. Fellow Barclays FA Women’s Super League stars Cecilie Fiskerstrand and Ingrid Moe Wold also started the match in Cardiff while Reading’s Amalie Eikeland came on in the second half.