Sat Oct 11 18:49:22 2008

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Scotland settles for draw against Norway

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Glasgow, Scotland (Sports Network) - Scotland faces an uphill task in its quest to qualify for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa after drawing 0-0 with Norway at Hampden Park on Saturday.

The result leaves the Scots with four points from three games, and they visit to the Netherlands next, as well as the return game with Norway in Oslo next August.

The game will not go down in history as one of the great internationals played in Glasgow - although one incredible second-half miss from debutante Chris Iwelumo of Wolverhampton Wanderers will live long in the memory.

It was the visitors who adopted the more adventurous approach from the kick off with a 4-3-3 line-up in comparison to the home side's conservative 4-5-1, with Jamie McFadden the lone striker.

Nevertheless the Scots were first to threaten when Kirk Broadfoot broke forward in the seventh minute before finding McFadden whose shot was held by Norwegian goalkeeper Jon Knudsen, who was making his international debut at the age of 33.

Seconds later at the other end a penetrating run from John Carew took him through the heart of the Scotland defense only to be forced wide by Gary Caldwell.

Carew was causing all manner of problems for the hosts - a driving run from the middle of the park ending with an angled drive that was pushed out by Craig Gordon only as far as Bjorn Helge Riise who should certainly have done better than fire over the bar.

The Aston Villa striker again was involved as Norway began to control the play as the first half wore on, Carew seeing his 40th-minute shot held by Gordon after Frederik Winsnes' cross was nodded into his path by Fredrik Stromstad.

Scotland finished the half on the attack however - James Morrison's header from a McFadden cross being just too high.

A disappointing first half ended goalless - but the visitors again threatened on the restart when Carew broke through on the right from a Christian Grindheim pass in the 49th minute only to see Gordon block his effort.

Four minutes later, Kjetil Waehler headed into the side-netting off Stromstad's corner.

George Burley finally admitted that his starting line-up had been too cautious when he made a double substitution in the 55th minute with Steven Fletcher and Iwelumo replacing Morrison and McFadden as the Scots reverted to 4-4-2.

Two minutes later, Barry Robson's 18-yard volley was held by Knudsen.

The miss of the year occurred in the 63rd minute when Gary Naysmith cut in from the left and cut the ball across the face of goal only for the incoming Iwelumo - unmarked and with the goal at his mercy - to slice the ball wide.

Eight minutes later, the home side had a penalty appeal dismissed when Naysmith went down under a challenge from Jon Inge Hoiland.

Scotland was at least starting to exert some pressure with Shaun Maloney seeing his 18-yard shot from Fletcher's lay-off whistle just over.

The visitors continued to look the more dangerous however - a cross from substitute Morten Gamst Pedersen in the 84th minute finding Steffen Iversen, who coolly controlled the ball before seeing his shot blocked by Gordon.

The rebound fell to another Norwegian substitute - Daniel Braeten - whose shot was also blocked - this time by David Weir. Three minutes later, Carew broke free from a Holland pass only to shoot over.

It was end-to-end action as the final whistle approached - Maloney firing over from an Iwelumo lay-off in the 88th minutes and then, 60 seconds later, Broadfoot's low cross from the right was inches away from the onrushing Fletcher and Iwelumo.

The final whistle sounded on a goalless draw that dealt a serious blow to Scotland's dreams of reaching South Africa.

(Courtesy of sportbox.tv)