Scotland draw a blank against Norway in World Cup qualification

Scotland's World Cup qualification on Saturday hung in the balance after a goalless draw against Norway at Hampden.

Chris Iwelumo, making his international debut as a second-half substitute, was the villain of the piece as he missed a golden chance to give the Scots a lead from just two yards out.

Despite some late pressure the Scots could not find a way past the Norwegian defence and the draw leaves them struggling to qualify just three games into their Group 9 campaign.

“I thought the first-half was very much a stalemate. In the second-half we stepped it up, put them under a lot of pressure, changed our system and had some good opportunities,” said Scotland coach George Burley.

“I was disappointed not to get the three points but we certainly upped the tempo and quality and gave them a lot of problems in the second-half.”

On Iwelumo's miss, Burley said: “It was just one of those things. I don't know whether he miss-hit it or was a bit flat-footed.

“Ninety-nine times out of 100 Chris would have scored his chance and I think we would have got the three points,” he said.

“One thing is for sure: it was the best chance of the game. They had chances but that was because we were pushing up.”

Burley's opposite, Age Hareide, felt his side deserved all three points.

“I think we had most of the chances in the game,” the Norway coach said. “We were tight at the back and conceded very few chances in the first half. I think in the end it was an okay game for us and I was very satisfied with the boys.”

Scotland's first effort came after eight minutes, when West Brom's James Morrison was played into the box by Kirk Broadfoot but his shot was straight at Jon Knudsen.

Norway soon settled into the game and Aston Villa striker John Carew was giving the Scottish defenders all sorts of problems.

In the ninth minute he powered through the centre of the Scottish defence and only a last ditch tackle from Gary Caldwell deflected his shot wide of Craig Gordon's post.

Ten minutes later Carew outpaced Caldwell down the left wing and fired in a shot at Gordon who palmed it into the path of Bjorn Helge Riise but he blasted the rebound over the bar.

In the 22nd minute Morrison went on a good run down the right wing but his cross was just behind lone striker James McFadden.

David Weir came to Scotland's rescue after 40 minutes when he did enough to smother a Carew shot to allow Gordon to collect after a header across goal by Fredrik Stromstad.

In the final minute of the half a McFadden cross found Morrison at the back post but he headed his effort over the bar.

In the second-half Carew picked up where he had left off and had two chances to give Norway the lead within the first five minutes but both his efforts were straight at Gordon.

Kjetil Waehler should have given Norway the lead in the 54th minute when he was found unmarked at the back post but he headed his effort into the side netting.

On 64 minutes Iwelumo, on for McFaddden, missed a golden chance to put the Scots ahead when he fluffed a tap-in in front of an open goal following Gary Naysmith's inch-perfect cross.

The home side pushed forward looking for the opening goal and Shaun Maloney was involved in two good chances in the 73rd and 75th minutes.

Scotland had keeper Gordon to thank for saving them in the 85th minute when he blocked a powerful Steffen Iversen volley from six yards out.

As the Scots pushed for a winner gaps appeared in defence and Carew should have sealed all three points for Norway when he was one-on-one with Gordon but he chipped his shot over the bar.

In the final minute both Iwelumo and fellow sub Steven Fletcher just failed to connect with a Broadfoot cross as the Norwegians held on for a draw.