You had to feel slightly sorry for England's new coach Roy Hodgson, as not only was he thrown in at the deep end with little time to spare before a big tournament, but also half his team was not available to him in this his first game.  Add the fact that the last England manager to win in Oslo was Alf Ramsey back in 1966, and the size of the task was there for all to see.  So the resultant and surprising win by England gave Hodgson the perfect start to his tenure.

As has been the case in recent games, England began the match well and with only four minutes gone on the clock they should have scored.  Stewart Downing made a fine break down the left and whipped in a superb cross for the marauding Andy Carroll to power in a fierce header.  He only had to hit the target to score a certain goal, but his header flew wide with the keeper beaten.  But if that was promising, then four minutes later the new manager was celebrating his first goal.  Carroll and Ashley Young combined and Young held possession as he moved forward through the inside-left channel.  Brede Hangeland tried to jockey him away from goal but a quick turn and a shimmy left Young clear of the big defender and his left-foot finish into the far corner was of the highest quality.  It was a magnificent goal and Young's fourth in his last four appearances.

Norway had their first chance on 11 minutes when Markus Henriksen fired in a shot that Rob Green scrambled around a post.  Then from the resultant corner Green was almost embarrassed by Morten Gamst Pederson's corner which struck a post as it curled in towards goal with Green nowhere.  The goalkeeper was lucky with that one but as the game wore on he was assured and confident in all that he did, and all in all laid a few ghosts to rest with his steady performance.

In the main England were in control throughout the half.  Joleon Lescott had a fine game at the heart of the defence and he was ably backed up by the rest of the back four.  Phil Jones, especially, was full of energy and enthusiasm and he not only defended well but supported the attack too.  He combined well on one occasion with James Milner and then Young volleyed over after more good work by Jones, Milner and Carroll.

Norway's build up was methodical but also a bit laboured, giving England time to organise at the back.  And their midfield, with Scott Parker and Steven Gerrard working hard, was able to snuff out any threat from the home side.  Daniel Braaten did head one half-chance over and a dangerous cross from John Arne Riise had to be hacked away by Phil Jagielka.  Gerrard was struggling with his passing and England, generally, gave the ball away a little too cheaply at times, something that Hodgson will want to address.

On 26 minutes another good cross by Downing caused Norway's defence problems and a minute later another good England break should have brought them another goal.  Young was all alone in the middle as Carroll broke down the right.  All it needed was a square pass to his feet, but Carroll overhit the pass and the chance went begging.  Leighton Baines made one good break down the left and forced a corner and then shortly after Jones crossed from the right but goalkeeper Rune Jarstein intercepted.  On 33 minutes yet another good attack saw Milner attack down the right.  He cleverly cut inside the defender and fired in a good left-foot shot, but again Jarstein managed to block the shot. 

The only danger coming from the home side was mainly through the mistakes by England, and one unforced error gave Mohammed Abdellaoue the chance to hit a shot wide.  The habit of giving the ball away with sloppy passing was affecting both teams and the final ten minutes of the half was a little scrappy.

At half-time Gerrard went off and Gareth Barry came on, and a minute into the half Young was fouled right on the edge of the box.  Milner and Baines lined the ball up and it was Baines who fired in a good dipping shot.  Jarstein did well to get across and tip the ball away.  Yet another England chance came on 48 minutes when Jones picked the ball up in his own half and attacked the Norwegian penalty box.  None of the defenders came to him so he fired in a 20 yard shot which took a deflection and struck the post with the keeper beaten again.  Riise then retaliated with a shot that Green got everything behind and both Jones and Carroll defended well as Norway tried to come back.

Theo Walcott came on for Parker, who was struggling for match fitness after his recent injury, and with both Parker and Gerrard now taken out of the side, the England midfield struggled to regain their grip on the game.  To make matters worse, it was clear that Barry was also not fit, and he eventually signalled to the bench that his groin was troubling him.

Just after the hour Riise, Norway's best player, easily beat Walcott on the left and fired in a fierce shot at the near post.  Again Green did his job and the keeper can be pleased with his game on this night.  But by this time England were showing signs of fatigue and Norway came forward atery opportunity.  It seemed only a matter of time before Norway scored, but Lescott and Jagielka held firm and to be fair there were no serious alarms on Green's goal.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain then made his debut when he replaced goalscorer Young and Jordan Henderson came on for Barry.  Later further changes saw Adam Johnson come on for Downing and Martin Kelly also made a debutant appearance when he replaced the impressive Jones.

England had the best of the chances throughout and even right at the end of added time Johnson fired in a shot that required yet another save from Jarstein.

When England last won in Norway, in 1966, it was a month before that memorable 1966 World Cup victory.  The final of the Euro 2012 tournament is scheduled for one month's time.  Surely it can't be possible.... Can it?