OSLO, (Reuters) – Lyndon Dykes and Kenny McLean both struck late goals as Scotland came back from going a goal down to Erling Haaland’s penalty to snatch a 2-1 win over Norway in their Group A European Championship 2024 qualifier yesterday.
With Cyprus set to face Georgia in the five-team group later in the evening, the win moved the Scots to nine points at the top of the group, six ahead of second-placed Spain who have played a game less. Norway are fourth on one point.
Despite dominating possession, Norway struggled to create many decent chances but eventually Haaland, who won the Champions League last week with Manchester City, came to the rescue as he was bundled over in the box by Ryan Porteous.
The giant Norwegian got up, dusted himself off and fired the ball home low to the goalkeeper’s right in the 61st minute to prompt wild celebrations in the Ullevaal Stadium.
With that goal looking to have set his side on the road to victory, Haaland was withdrawn by coach Stale Solbakken in the 84th minute, and it was to prove to be a costly mistake.
A defensive error by Leo Ostigard allowed striker Dykes to poke home the equaliser three minutes before the end of normal time, and he then teed up substitute McLean to score the winner two minutes later as Scotland secured an unlikely win that silenced the home crowd.
“The character to come back from that is outstanding. I think we can still do better with the ball, but listen, I’ll take that all day,” a jubilant McLean told BBC Scotland.
Norway captain Martin Odegaard was left speechless after his side’s late collapse.
“I can’t put words on it. It’s tough, that’s how football is sometimes, it’s brutal,” Odegaard told Norway’s TV2.
“The only thing we can do is apologise, stand together and fight on,” he added.
