Norway cautiously optimistic about Caroline Graham Hansen’s ankle injury

Norway forward Caroline Graham Hansen suffered an ankle injury during her team’s 2-1 win over South Korea, but there seems to be optimism that she’ll be able to play in the knockout stages.

Caroline Graham Hansen won silver at the UEFA Women’s Euro in 2013, but the star winger wasn’t able to compete in the 2015 World Cup due to a knee injury.

In 2019, Graham Hansen has been the star of the show for Norway, so when she went down with an ankle injury in the team’s final group stage game, there was plenty of concern in the crowd.

Graham Hansen played a critical role in Norway’s 2-1 win over South Korea, converting a penalty and earning a second penalty. The latter came at a price, though, as the 24-year-old suffered an ankle injury that appeared to be serious and was clearly distraught on the sidelines.

However, there may be some good news. At the post-game press conference, Graham Hansen said that doctors assured her that the ankle will be OK, even though the injury forced a substitution.

Furthermore, BBC Sport journalist Tom Garry also relayed Norway head coach Martin Sjorgen’s comments. Sjorgen sounds cautiously optimistic, noting Graham Hansen’s renowned toughness before remarking that he predicts she will return for the knockout stages.

Graham Hansen joins Germany midfielder Dszenifer Marzosan as the latest star player to suffer an injury during this year’s World Cup.

Marzosan is also expected to return for the group stages after suffering a broken toe, and hopefully both women will be able to feature for their teams in these critical matches.

Norway needs Graham Hansen as much as any team needs a player, as the new FC Barcelona winger is the main creative outlet and a dangerous goal-scorer for one of the World Cup’s strongest sides.

She’s been brilliant so far this tournament, regularly beating defenders one-on-one to consistently create chances for her teammates. Graham Hansen is one of the world’s best at her position and put on a master-class in Norway’s 3-0 win over Nigeria despite not scoring.

Hopefully, this ankle injury isn’t serious. Additionally, it’s a joy to watch her play, and Norway surely need her tireless running and elite dribbling skills in order to make a deep run in the knockout round.