Norway Under 21s romped to an easy 4-1 victory over their Scotland counterparts at Rugby Park.
Norway prove too strong for Scottish youngsters
Norway Under-21s romped to an easy victory over their Scotland counterparts in their challenge match at Rugby Park.
Per Ciljan Skjelbred's 27th-minute strike gave the visitors the half-time lead and 10 minutes after the interval Alexander Mathisen notched number two from close range.
A minute later Scotland coach Billy Stark watched striker Calum Elliot get sent off for a second booking following a two-footed tackle on Vadim Demidov.
In the 70th minute Scotland skipper Scott Cuthbert pulled a goal back, but the impressive Tarik Elyounoussi responded with a scrambled goal soon after and substitute Christer Kleiven made it 4-1 in injury-time with a 25-yard drive.
It was an uneasy night for the bedraggled Scots who were glad to hear the final whistle.
Dangerous
An end-of-season friendly featuring a weakened Scotland side unsurprisingly failed to attract much of a crowd to the home of Kilmarnock and those who did venture out had little to excite them in the cagey early stages.
It took until the 10th minute before the home side pressed forward with purpose for the first time in the game.
Wide man Ryan Conroy switched play with a pass to Graham Dorrans who sped into the Norway box and when the ball arrived at Elliot, the Hearts striker skewed an angled shot from eight yards past the far post.
The visitors looked neat and tidy in their build-up play but the home side looked the more dangerous and Scott Arfield's snap-shot from 30 yards gave Norway goalkeeper Lasse Staw an uncomfortable time as the ball bounced awkwardly just in front of him.
In the 27th minute the home side's defence was left exposed for the first time in the game allowing Skjelbred to run through on to a Endre Fotland Knudsen pass and calmly knock the ball past Euan McLean from just inside the box.
Advantage
Norway looked a class above after the break and in the 55th minute they doubled their lead when Elyounoussi outstripped Cuthbert and chipped the ball to the back post for Mathisen to slide in at the post.
Moments later Elliot, booked in the first half, was sent off after receiving his second yellow for a two-footed tackle on Demidov.
Ten-man Scotland pulled a goal back in the 70th minute through Cuthbert but the impressive Elyounoussi restored the visitors' advantage soon after when he hooked the ball high into the net from close range.
The visitors came close on several occasions thereafter before Kleiven rattled in the best goal of the match from 25 yards as the game nudged into injury-time.
