Scott Brown’s third goal for his country handed Scotland a 1-0 victory in their international friendly against Norway in Molde.
Ten years to the day since the Dark Blues were hammered 6-0 by Holland as they crashed out of the Euro 2004 play-offs, Gordon Strachan’s side gave another sign the national team may once again be rediscovering confidence on the international stage.
The home side had dominated the first hour at a freezing Aker Stadion, but captain Brown fired home a well-struck right-foot shot in 61 minutes to stretch Scotland’s unbeaten run to four games.
However, the Celtic midfielder – serving a three-match Champions League ban for kicking out at Barcelona attacker Neymar – was lucky to even be on the pitch at that stage after he kicked out at Norway defender Vegard Forren midway through the first period.
It was not spotted by Swedish referee Martin Strombergsson and Brown went on to give Scotland another reason to be cheerful after World Cup qualifying wins against Macedonia and Croatia and Friday night’s 0-0 friendly draw against the United States.
The hosts had to call in the Tartan Army to provide some extra muscle and help clear the pitch after a day of heavy snow flurries but the result was far from perfect.
The surface was mudsoaked and sodden but, thankfully for the 200-strong band of supporters who had travelled to western Norway, fears the match would not start were allayed.
Strachan made five alterations to the side that drew 0-0 with the United States but he could not find space in his starting line-up for Kilmarnock’s Kris Boyd who remained unused on the bench as Steven Naismith was chosen to replace Steven Fletcher in attack.
As the players got used to the uncertain footing, Scotland were handed the first opening of the match.
Norway goalkeeper Orjan Haskjold Nyland raced towards the corner to boot clear a misplaced back pass after seven minutes but, under pressure from Naismith, he sent the ball on to the feet of Ikechi Anya.
Thankfully for the debutant Molde player, the Watford midfielder pulled his shot wide with the goal gaping.
At the other end, David Marshall was quick off his line to clear as Barnsley’s Marcus Pedersen ran through, while he was down smartly to parry as Morten Gamst Pedersen’s cross was headed down by Ola Kamara as the home side built some early pressure.
The match was wide open even at such an early stage and the home side found space in behind the exposed Alan Hutton to open up the Dark Blues again on 12 minutes as Marshall had to gather Kamara’s 20-yard shot at the second attempt with Marcus Pedersen closing in.
With Norway cutting through his side far too regularly for his liking, Strachan switched from a five to a four-man midfield as Craig Bryson pushed wide to the right and Robert Snodgrass joined Everton’s Naismith in attack.
The plan was to make it harder for the Norwegians to bring the ball out of defence but the home side continued to find the room to pour forward.
Norway should have taken the lead 10 minutes after the break as substitute Mohammed Abdellaoue drove into the box before rolling back for Pedersen, who was again denied by Marshall’s instinctive block.
But just as the travelling Scotland supporters wondered if they would see a shot on target, Brown found the net.
Barry Bannan fed the ball to the Celtic midfielder on the edge of the Norwegian box. And after his attempt to find Naismith failed, he pounced on the loose ball and thudded a powerful low shot into the bottom corner as Nyland dived in despair.
It was hardly deserved, but the Tartan Army were just glad to find something to take their minds off the bracing conditions which had dropped into minus figures.
Norway were understandably shocked by the loss of the goal.
But, after regaining their composure, they continued to attack with menace.
Pedersen was on target after 77 minutes as he fired a low shot from the edge of the box.
But once more Marshall’s reactions were perfect as he made the save, while Brown blocked from Abdellaoue 10 yards out moments later.
But substitute Anders Konradsen really should have levelled the score in the final minute as he pushed his shot wide of the far post from just eight yards out with the goal gaping.