Vieri strikes down Norway

MARSEILLE, June 27: Italy defeated Norway 1-0 today to become the first team to reach the quarter-finals of the 1998 World Cup.Striker Chris...

MARSEILLE, June 27: Italy defeated Norway 1-0 today to become the first team to reach the quarter-finals of the 1998 World Cup.

Striker Christian Vieri scored his fifth goal of the tournament in the 18th minute to keep up his record of netting in every game so far.

Vieri8217;s strike ended Norway8217;s run of 17 games without defeat and put them out of the World Cup.

The big striker8217;s fifth goal of the tournament came when he latched on to a Luigi di Biagio through ball, held off Dan Eggen and shot low past Frode Grodas. He has scored in all four of Italy8217;s games.

The goal calmed Italian nerves after an opening spell that saw them give away possession and struggle to deal with the aerial threat of Tore Andre Flo.

Norway, who had to bring on Roar Strand for Oyvind Leonhardsen after 13 minutes, twice created good shooting opportunities but Gianluca Pagliuca kept them out.

On a strength-sappingly hot day, the pace of the match was slow, but Vieri, full of running, always looked dangerous.

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Di Biagio was thepick of the Italian midfield, several times playing probing passes in behind the Norwegian defence for Vieri and Alessandro del Piero to chase.

Grodas foiled the Juventus man with a good block and made another good save to keep out a Dino Baggio header.

Strand8217;s appearance proved short-lived as he was stretchered off in the 40th minute with a cut head after being caught by Francesco Moriero8217;s boot. Stale Solbakken replaced him.

Italy now meet the winner of tomorrow evening8217;s second-round encounter between France and Paraguay in the quarter-final at St Denis on July 3.

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Norway8217;s tactics of hitting long balls down the middle failed to pay off against coach Cesare Maldini8217;s team which kept the Norwegian attack in check for most of the game.

STARTING LINE-UPS

ITALY: 12-Gianluca Pagliuca; 2-Giuseppe Bergomi, 5-Alessandro Costacurta, 3-Paolo Maldini captain, 4-Fabio Cannavaro, 9-Demetrio Albertini, 11-Dino Baggio, 14-Luigi di Biagio, 17-Francesco Moriero; 10-Alessandro del Piero,21-Christian Vieri

Norway: 1-Frode Grodas captain; 4-Henning Berg, 15-Dan Eggen, 3-Ronny Johnsen, 5-Stig Inge Bjornebye; 17-Havard Flo, 8-Oyvind Leonhardsen, 10-Kjetil Rekdal, 21-Vidar Riseth, 7-Erik Mykland; 9-Tore Andre Flo

Referee: Bernd Heynemann Germany.