Soccer: Four-goal Norway deliver hammer blow to Scots

OSLO — Scotland’s World Cup dreams were left in tatters on Wednesday after they fell to a humiliating 4-0 defeat to Norway which left them with a mountain to climb if they are to make the finals.

Morten Gamst Pedersen grabbed a double for Norway but the Group Nine match turned in the first half when Gary Caldwell was sent off for two bookings inside a minute.

Goals from John Arne Riise and Blackburn’s Pedersen soon followed with Erik Husekleep’s first international goal in the second-half and Pedersen’s last minute free-kick giving Norway a comfortable victory.

The Norwegians, with Egil Olsen back in charge, had started the match bottom of Group Nine, but their win puts them just one point behind the Scots with just two games remaining leaving George Burley’s men in danger of missing out on a place in the play-offs for South Africa.

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