Friendly in Port of Spain, November 29, 1995 ============================================ Trinidad & Tobago - Norway 3-2 (2-2) Queen's Park Oval Att: 15 000 0-1 Tore Andre Flo (11) 0-2 Bjørn Arild Levernes (20) 1-2 Russel Latapy (pen. 24) 2-2 Latapy (45) 3-2 Latapy (pen. 53) Referee: M Forde, Barbados. Yellow card: Solbakken (9), Eftevaag (21), Mykland (29), Solskjær (86), Norway. Line-ups -------- Norway (4-5-1): Frode Grodås (Frode Olsen from 46.) - Christer Basma, Egil Ulfstein (Claus Lundekvam from 46.), Claus Eftevaag, Geirmund Brendesæther - Arild Stavrum (Gunnar Aase from 76.), Petter Rudi, Erik Mykland (Ole Gunnar Solskjær from 66.), Ståle Solbakken, Bjørn Arild Levernes - Tore André Flo. Match report ------------ - Another disappointing result from the Norwegian reserves. And this time it wasn't undeserved either, as T&T were quicker and not as disorganized in defense as Jamaica on Sunday. It started so well with a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes, but instead of building from that lead, Norway allowed the home side into the game. Particularly the Porto-player and captain Latapy was excellent, and he showed that the home country has more good players than Dwight Yorke of Aston Villa. Time after time the home side went past a non-existing Norwegian midfield, and were allowed to run at the defense. The system of high pressure didn't work very well either, as the technical T&T players were rarely disposessed of the ball. Instead the high pressure left big gaps in midfield and defense, especially as the ground was a king size 110x70 metres. The referee from Barbados handed the Norwegians five yellow cards, some of which were very dubious, and generally was very kind to the home side, but still both penalties were justified. One thing these two matches in the Caribbean showed was that the younger players still have a long way to go before they eventually replace the more experienced players currently on the national team. Of the players at this tour, only Grodås, Mykland, Solbakken, Flo and Rudi look certainties for the WC-team next year, and of them only Rudi was without first national team experience before. The rest of the younger players still need more matches before any of them are a real alternative to players on the EC-team this year. Sad, but true.