FRANCE 98 – Match Summary n°17

Scotland kept their slender hopes of reaching the second round alive when they drew their second Group A match 1-1 with Norway here on Tuesday. After a split second’s lack of concentration threatened to cost them the match, they fought back to grab a draw and, more importantly, a vital point.

Scotland where stunned 30 seconds into the second half when Vidar Riseth crossed from the left to the far post where Havard Flo had shaken off Scottish defender Christian Dailly for the easiest of headers to put Norway in front. It looked like being a killer blow for Scotland, who had dominated the first half.

Rocked on their heels, it took the Scots ten minutes to gather themselves and start putting pressure on the Norwegian defence. In the 66th minute Craig Burley collected an inch-perfect long ball forward from David Weir inside his own half. As Norwegian keeper Frode Grodas rushed out to cut down the angle the Celtic midfielder chipped over him into the net to set off the thousands of Scottish fans in the Parc Lescure.

But coach Craig Bown and his team will rue the chances that went begging in the opening 45 minutes when they could have buried the game. After only four minutes Monaco-based John Collins made space on the left before flicking a cross to the far post but Dailly’s header went across the goalmouth and over for a goalkick. Five minutes later Dailly raced past his marker before crossing but there was no-one in the area to meet his effort.

Norway, playing with a sole striker up front, were packing the midfield and defence to keep the Scots at bay. Rangers striker Gordon Durie, playing one of his best games in a Scottish shirt, had a chance to put his name on the scoresheet from a Kevin Gallacher cross but again the ball went flashing past the post. Scotland grew in confidence but frustration was beginning to set in as chance after chance went begging.

Although the Scottish attack, being directed by Collins, was finding cracks in the Norwegian defence, Grodas was having little to do as attempt after attempt went past his posts or over his bar. It was only in the 27th minute that he had to pull off his first real save when Collins flicked the ball over his shoulder before firing in a shot from just outside the area.

Norway’s attacks were few and far between. The first dangerous moment came when Stale Solbakken found Roar Strand who had got behind the Scottish defence. The 28-year-old controlled the ball with his chest before forcing a good save from Jim Leighton. The Scottish defence got a scare when a Strand cross found Solbakken unmarked in the area but the 30-year-old snatched at the ball and hit it high over the cross-bar.