Irish held in Oslo

11:04pm Wednesday 20th August 2008

Robbie Keane's 34th international goal was enough only to claim a 1-1 draw for the Republic of Ireland as Norway staged an impressive fightback.

The Liverpool hitman struck a minute before the break to give the visitors a deserved lead at a rain-soaked Ullevaal Stadium.

However, defender Tore Reginiussen capitalised on a 61st-minute mistake by substitute keeper Dean Kiely to level and it was the Scandinavians who finished the stronger.

Shay Given was grateful to see striker Mohammed Abdellaoue lift a 10th-minute shot over the bar after running onto John Arne Riise's pass and rounding John O'Shea.

Riise forced the game's first real save 12 minutes later with a dipping drive which Given claimed low to his right.

However, as the half wore on, it was the visitors who began to control the match with wingers Damien Duff and Aiden McGeady seeing plenty of the ball as Steven Reid and Glenn Whelan held firm in central midfield.

And with the pressure mounting, the home side eventually cracked a minute before the break. Norway were still coming to terms with the premature departure of midfielder Fredrik Stromstad when Keane cut inside from the right and fired past Rune Almenning Jarstein to score.

After the break though a resurgent Norway were enjoying the better of the game for the first time since the opening exchanges, although Riise wasted a good opening when he sliced a 55th-minute shot horribly wide.

The equaliser finally arrived six minutes later when Kiely came for, but missed, Martin Andresen's left-wing free-kick, and when a stunned Kevin Kilbane could only head the ball back across goal, Reginiussen gleefully converted from point-blank range.

Riise saw an 89th-minute shot deflected just wide as the home fans rose to their feet, but there was to be no further addition to the scoreline.

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