Norway rally to get past FYROM

Norway posted a 3-1 comeback win against the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in Skopje to move off the bottom of UEFA European Under-21 Championship Group 8.

With the visitors having failed to take any points from their previous three qualifiers, the signs were ominous for Norway when Darko Velkoski struck on the cusp of half-time. The lead was fleeting, however, Elbasan Rashani restoring parity two minutes into the second period, before Valon Berisha and Håvard Nielsen completed the turnaround.

The home team controlled the first half, with visiting keeper Sondre Rossbach producing two excellent saves to deny Aleksandar Trajkovski and Darko Micevski. There was nothing he could do to prevent Velkoski's venomous 20-metre effort nestling inside the net shortly after, though.

Trond Nordsteien's charges emerged with renewed optimism after the break, Rashani taking receipt of Mohamed Elyounoussi's pass and finishing unerringly beyond Dejan Iliev. Better was to come for the Scandinavians seven minutes later as Berisha rolled in a penalty after Fredrik Ulvestad had been upended. Nielsen inflicted the final wound on FYROM by firing past Iliev from the edge of the area.