Neither side can afford ...

Neither side can afford to lose their second match in Bordeaux this afternoon after Scotland and Norway started their campaings in disappointing fashion last week.

Norway were particularly poor and coach Egil Olsen has dropped two of the side that played against Morocco in a 2-2 draw. Norway were extremely fortunate to get anything from the game as they were hurt throughout the match by the speed and invention of the Moroccan attack. They looked tired and predictable and only salvaged a point with two pieces of luck from set pieces.

Scotland showed against Brazil that they too can be susceptible to a well executed dead ball routine and they conceded the fastest goal of the tournament so far in the opening match of the competition when Baiano headed in on four minutes from a corner. The familiar aerial assault from Norway will be directed at the Scottish defence from the start. They may be so blitzed as to make a mistake when Tore Andre Flo runs at them with the ball on the ground and this will be the prime source of the Norwegian efforts on goal. Poor discipline has crept into the Norwegian squad after their abject display last week and Berg and Mykland were in serious trouble for their breach of the team curfew. They drank beer in a local nightclub and the Norwegian effort this month is in danger of derailing as it did in the USA four years Agoos. Olsen's dogged faith in defensive tactics may see Norway start at a slower pace against the Scots. They are a point ahead of Craig Brown's side and such an advantage has proved too great a temptation for Olsen to resist in the past - he has imposed a rigid defensive system on the side with no players in attack as any minor advantage is protected by Norway's eccentric leader with a maniacal intensity.

Norway may be content to sit back and defend, relying on the occassional long ball break to threaten a goal. They will only press forward in the latter stages of the game as they still have tournament favourites Brazil to face in the last round.

Scotland showed defensive qualities against Brazil that Morocco lacked when playing Norway but they do not have the direct pace or in-form strikers to trouble Norway in the same way that Morocco managed.

They will defend well with Colin Hendry again looking their most effective player but they will struggle to create chances and their are doubts about the ability of the midfield to control the pace and vary the course of a game to suit their own side. The Scots may well be victims of circumstance again unless the impressive recent international results of the Norwegian side can be shown to be the sham that many suspect.