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Wales v Norway - 2002 World Cup.
 INFORMATION
Wales (0) 1 Norway (0) 1
Blake 60 Helstad 80


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Match Report
A goal 10 minutes from time dashed Welsh hopes of an historic first win at the Millennium Stadium. An excellent 60th minute header from Nathan Blake was cancelled when substitute Thorstein Helstad broke welsh hearts. Mark Hughes made three changes from the side that lost disappointedly in Belarus a month earlier. Mark Delaney returned from injury with Chris Coleman being pushed out to the left-hand side of the defence. Robert Page partnered Andy Melville in the heart of defence. Both John Hartson and Nathan Blake returned.
 
Key moments
First half
 
13 mins: A cross from the right is met at the near-post by Solskjaer but Andy Melville blocks his effort.
21 mins: Ryan Giggs crosses the ball into the path of John Hartson but his right-foot shot is well wide.
29 mins: Solskjaer breaks away on the right, he is then tackled inside the box by Robert Page, the re-bound is pounced upon quickly by Paul Jones as he blocks the striker's second effort.
31 mins: Iversen right-foot effort from 20 yards flashes a couple of yards wide of Paul Jones' post.
32 mins: A Solskjaer header from an Iversen cross fails to find the target.
39 mins: Nathan Blake creates an opportunity for Ryan Giggs but he shoots wide.
41 mins: John Hartson has the ball in the net but he is ruled marginally offside from a Ryan Giggs cross on the right.
 
Half time score Wales..0 Norway..0
 
Second half
60 mins: Gary Speed is put through on the left by Robert Page, his cross is met by a powerful header from Nathan Blake which flies into the top corner of the net. Wales ..1 Norway ..0
66 mins: From a Nathan Blake cross, Ryan Giggs heads wide.
67 mins: A dazzling run from Ryan Giggs on the left ends with a deep cross which is meet by John Hartson who heads straight into the arms of Olsen.
80 mins: Leonhardsen's shot is saved by Paul Jones, the ball then falls to Helstad his first effort comes back off the post he follows up to put the ball into the back of net. Wales ..1 Norway ..1
 
Full-time score Wales..1 Norway..1



Reaction
Mark Hughes said that his players had answered the critics with the performance against Norway. He said: "This was the best performance by the side under my management, and they have answered the critics. It was very disappointing to concede an equaliser so late in the game, the players' efforts merited three points." Mark Hughes also added: "I told the players before the match that it was time for them to show what good players they are in big matches."

Norway coach Nils Johan Semb was disappointed with his side performance. He said: "Norway were the best team, and deserved to win. We created several good chances in the first half, there were two or three times we could have scored."
 










Team line-ups
 
Wales Norway
  1 - Paul Jones
2 - Mark Delaney
3 - Robert Page
4 - Andrew Melville
5 - Chris Coleman
6 - Robert Savage
7 - John Robinson
8 - John Hartson
9 - Nathan Blake
10 - Gary Speed
11 - Ryan Giggs

12 - Matthew Jones
14 - Iwan Roberts
15 - Gareth Roberts
16 - Kit Symons
17 - Darren Barnard
18 - Carl Robinson
21 - Roger Freestone
      1 - Frode Olsen
2 - Christer Basma
3 - Ronny Johnsen
4 - Henning Berg
5 - Stig Bjornebye
6 - Steffen Iversen
7 - Erik Mykland
8 - Oyvind Leonhardsen
9 - Eirik Bakke
10 - Ole Gunnar Solskjær
11 - Roar Strand

12 - Morten Bakke
13 - Bjo Otto Bragstad
14 - Tore Andre Flo
15 - Erik Hoftun
16 - Bent Skammelsrud
17 - Vidar Riseth
18 - Thorstein Helstad
   
               
Subs:
  Substitute For Mins   Substitute For Mins
  Iwan Roberts (No.14)
8
86
  Tore Andre Flo (No.14)
Thorstein Helstad (No.18)
6
9
59
78
               
Goalscorers
      Mins       Mins
  Nathan Blake (No.9)
  60
  Thorstein Helstad (No.18)
  80
               
Bookings
      Mins       Mins
          Eirik Bakke (No.9)
Ronny Johnsen (No.3)
  36
68





Match details
   
Half-time 0-0
Full-time 1-1
Date 07.10.2000
Kick off 3.00pm
Venue Millennium Stadium
City / town Cardiff
Attendance 51,100
Referee Hartmut Strampe (Germany)





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