World Cup qualifying classics, No 10: 14 September 1988, Norway 1 Scotland 2

Published on 06/09/2012 04:26

THE Scots made a flying start on the road to the 1990 finals by winning their opening match of qualifying group 5.

Manager Andy Roxburgh, clearly confident of victory in the Ullevaal Stadium, Oslo, named a side which included the goalscoring potential of Maurice Johnston, Kevin Gallacher and Brian McClair.

Indeed, it took only 14 minutes for Scotland to open the scoring. Johnston won the aerial battle for a long ball which dropped inside the home penalty box and, as the Norwegian’s only half-cleared his knockdown, Paul McStay raced foward to smash home a left-foot shot from 20 yards.

Norway levelled through a Jan Fjortoft header shortly before half-time, but Roxburgh’s men were not to be denied.

On 62 minutes, a scramble in the Norway penalty box ended with Johnston (pictured) keeping the coolest head to lash the ball into the roof of the net.

Scotland eventually qualified by finishing second behind Yugoslavia in the group.