Group Five/Norway - 1 Scotland - 2: Scotland's dogged pursuit of the 2006 World Cup finals has fresh momentum. A remarkable win in Oslo last night breathed life into a qualification campaign which had been gasping for breath when Walter Smith took up the reins last year. Suddenly, magnificently, the miraculous charge for the play-offs is gathering pace.
The jaw-dropping quality of this victory should not be underestimated. The Scots may have been encouraged by Saturday's draw with Italy, but theirs had still appeared a forlorn and ultimately hopeless game of catch-up. Now, with Norway humiliated, Smith's side are two points off second place with games against Belarus and Slovenia to come.
This is a squad suddenly imbued with confidence. "You can see that in the way we're playing, and we can now put some pressure on the teams above us," said Smith. "Time's running out, but we're in a better position now than we were and you never know what can happen."
Each authoritative display must leave the SFA board members cursing themselves for the procrastination which prolonged Berti Vogts' reign.
Kenny Miller has yet to score a league goal for Wolves in the Championship this season, but he now boasts four in his three internationals.
That the Scots' goals owed much to pitiful Norwegian defending hardly mattered. The early pressure had been weathered before the visitors struck brutally on the break. Barry Ferguson's crossfield pass prompted the initial reward, James McFadden beating Jan Gunnar Solli in the air to nod down to Miller who volleyed home.
The concession spread panic in Norway's ranks. Within 10 minutes Darren Fletcher had delicately wriggled clear in the centre circle to spread the play out to Paul Hartley. The Hearts midfielder's cross was hopeful at best, but André Bergdolmo mistimed his headed clearance only as far as Miller who, stifling his surprise, battered his second easily into the net.
Ole Martin Aarst found space on the edge of the area to hit a consolation goal in the final minutes. Coach Age Hareide said the loss was a "disaster".
Guardian Service
NORWAY: Myhre, Bergdolmo, Riseth, Lundekvam, Riise, Solli (Haestad 46), Andresen, Grindheim, Valencia (Braaten 46), Carew, Ostenstad (Aarst 46). Subs Not Used: Holtan, Hangeland, Helstad, Karadas. Booked: Ostenstad, Carew. Goals: Aarst 89.
SCOTLAND: Gordon, Alexander, Weir, Pressley, Webster, Fletcher, Ferguson, McNamara, McFadden (Beattie 72), Hartley, Miller (McCann 40). Subs Not Used: Douglas, Severin, Thompson, Murray, O'Neil. Booked: McFadden. Goals: Miller 21, 31.
Referee: A Hamer (Luxembourg).
