Norway win promotion as Georgia end campaign on a high
NICOSIA: Norway secured promotion to League B in the Nations League when Ola Kamara’s double gave them a 2-0 win away to Cyprus while second-placed Bulgaria were held to a 1-1 draw by winless Slovenia in the other League C Group 3 match.
Lively Kamara scored once in either half, taking his tally to five goals in four internationals this year, to help Norway record their fourth victory in the group and finish top with 13 points.
Both teams ended the match at the GSP Stadium in Nicosia with 10 men after Cyprus defender Valentinos Sielis and Norway striker Mohamed Elyounoussi were sent off in the dying minutes.
Cyprus, who had only one shot on target, can still be relegated if they end up as the lowest-ranked third-placed side in League C.
Substitute Galin Ivanov’s first international goal gave Bulgaria, who went into their final game level on points with Norway, a deserved lead midway through the second half at the Vasil Levski stadium but Slovenia’s Miha Zajc equalised seven minutes later.
Slovenia, who were already relegated, have gone six games without a win – their worst run since 2004.
Already-promoted Georgia ended their League D campaign on a high after second-half strikes by Giorgi Merebashvili and teenager Giorgi Chakvetadze, scoring his fifth international goal this year, helped them to beat second-placed Kazakhstan 2-1.
Oralkhan Omirtayev grabbed a late consolation for the visitors, who finished runners-up despite winning only once – a 4-0 drubbing of bottom team Andorra.
The small Iberian country were held to a 0-0 draw by Latvia in a dour clash on Monday as they finished their campaign unbeaten at home.