So where does this leave Wales? On the brink, is where.

1. Portugal P4 W 4 D0 L0 GD+5 Pts 12
2. Norway P5 W2 D0 L3 GD0 Pts 6
3. Denmark P4 W2 D0 L2 GD0 Pts 6
4. Wales P5 W1 D0 L4 GD-5 Pts 3

Even if Wales beat Portugal in Cardiff next week, they cannot finish above either Norway or Denmark, as they have lost the head-to-heads with both countries. They’re now guaranteed to finish bottom of A4. However, that doesn’t mean relegation has been confirmed. If they end the campaign as one of the two best-ranked fourth-placed sides, they’ll go into a two-legged relegation play-off with one of the League B runners-up, and yes this is a whole load of Byzantine nonsense. Currently that ranking looks like this …

1. Wales (A4) P5 GD-5 Pts 3
2. Serbia (A2) P5 GD-7 Pts 0
3. Turkey (A1) P5 GD-10 Pts 0
4. Czechia (A3) P5 GD-10 Pts 0

… so a wild week stretches out ahead of Wales one way or another. Thanks for reading this MBM.

An extremely disappointed Ben Davies talks to the BBC. “It’s one of them … a sloppy first goal … after all the good work we put in … it feels tough … one of those nights … we could have been a bit more clinical … we’re playing against a team who got to the quarter-finals of the World Cup … we gave them a good run … it’s another step but a tough result to take … we have nothing to lose [against Portugal] … we’ll go into that hoping to get a good result and put a good performance in.”

Wales were arguably the better side in the first half – Dan James had three decent if not exactly gilt-edged chances – but Norway had too much attacking quality in the second. Antonio Nusa took a ball down gymnastically from the heavens to win a corner, then scored a fine goal from it; he was involved in the slick build-up to Andreas Schjelderup’s second; he sent Ethan Ampadu and Connor Roberts off to the shop for the Aftenposten and 20 Bensons with an outrageous bit of skill that nearly led to another goal. David Brooks scored a fine one himself, but any hopes of an unlikely comeback were nixed when Ben Davies gifted possession to Erling Haaland, who set off a chain of events that led to a penalty he scored himself. Haaland has now scored 66 goals in 60 matches for Norway. We’ll just leave that statement hanging there.

90 min +5: Wales fans are entitled to demur, but it’s such a shame Nusa didn’t finish that off. What a shimmy and shake to see off two players in the tightest of spots. It would have been an all-timer. Having said that, 4-1 would have been cruel on Wales.

90 min +3: Nusa slaloms past a couple of defenders, wriggling through a tight spot inside the Welsh box on the left. Roberts and Ampadu completely flummoxed. He opens his body and looks for the bottom right, but Darlow parries well. The ball breaks to Haaland at the far stick, but Davies blocks what looks a certain goal. Wow. That was sensational from Nusa!

90 min +2: Østigård and Myhre come on for Møller Wolfe and the captain Ødegaard.

90 min +1: Haaland scaampers down the left. He’s clear. He should score, but in trying to sidefoot past Darlow at his near post, hits the outside of that upright and out for a goal kick. The flag goes up for offside, but it was super-tight and VAR might have overturned that decision … so that goes down as a big miss.

90 min: There will be six additional minutes. Remember what Manchester United did to Aston Villa with that exact amount of added time last weekend? Well, that.

89 min: Johnson responds by juggling the ball at speed down the left, and thrashing a shot into the side netting. Selvik might have got a micro-touch to that, but Wales aren’t getting the corner.

87 min: Haaland waits patiently on the spot, ball in hand, as Wilson is booked for encroaching and then arguing about it.

85 min: Before the corner can be taken, Ryerson is replaced by Pedersen. Then Rodon heads Schjelderup’s delivery clear. However …

84 min: This is much better from Odegaard, who takes a touch in from the right to make room for a shot. He curls it towards the bottom left, and Darlow has to extend fully to fingertip around the post. That’s great play all round.

83 min: Odegaard strides down the right. He’s got three team-mates in the Wales box, but hoicks a dismal cross behind all of them.

81 min: It’s the Wales fans you can hear now, and Wilson and Brooks nearly open up Norway again with a crisp interchange down the inside-right channel. Nusa drops back to put a stop to it, but Wales are up for this. Norway can’t get out!

78 min: Colwill latches onto a loose ball on the edge of the Norway D. He should do better than smack his shot straight at Selvik. But never mind, because …

77 min: Nothing comes of the corner, and so the crowd, giddy with relief, launch into their first Viking row of the night.

76 min: … and Wales nearly score it, Ampadu latching onto a Møller Wolfe half-clearance, aiming a stunning rising drive towards the top-left corner from the edge of the box. Selvik tips onto the top of his crossbar and out for a corner. Some shot, with a save to match it.

75 min: Some pinball in the Norway box. The ball drops to Roberts, who belts a cross from a very tight position on the left. Selvik handles well at his near post. Norway counter, Schjelderup’s shot from the edge of the D blocked. There’s another goal in this game, somewhere.

74 min: Berg crosses from the right. The ball’s only half cleared … so Wales are lucky that Moller Wolfe accidentally stands on it. That was a big opportunity to shoot under very little pressure.

72 min: … and that’s part of a triple change, with Brooks and Roberts also coming on. Cullen and James make way.

71 min: Colwill replaces the stricken Williams …

70 min: Williams pearls a speculative shot towards the bottom right. It’s no good, then he pulls up. It’s all suddenly unravelling for Wales.

69 min: Well, that was a significantly better first touch by Schjelderup than his hapless fellow sub Berg.

67 min: Berg’s first touch is a slapstick masterpiece, as he kicks the ball up against his own startled face and out for a goal kick.

66 min: Norway make a double change. On come Schjelderup and Berg at the expense of Bobb and Aasgaard. When play restarts, Moller Wolfe crosses from the left for Haaland, but Dasilva does enough to put his man off.

65 min: Harris is immediately in the thick of it, spinning Heggem to the right of the Norway D and threading a shot towards the bottom right. Accurate, but not particularly powerful, and it’s easy for Selvik.

64 min: Wales replace the ineffective Koumas with Harris.

63 min: Nusa is a magnificent talent, though. But then we saw that at the World Cup, so it’s hardly breaking news.

61 min: The Ullevaal had fallen a little quiet before that goal. It’s not quiet now. Inspired, Aasgaard throws himself into a couple of 50-50s down the left, and nearly forces the ball forward for Nusa. Had he managed to complete his task, Nusa was away. The hosts have their tails up.

58 min: Nusa takes down a difficult crossfield pass with an elegant leap and trap, then dribbles hard down the left, winning a corner off Williams, from which …

56 min: Rodon skittles Berge. Ryerson thinks a free kick is going to be awarded, so puts his hand on the ball then takes one. But the ref hasn’t whistled! Wales want a free kick of their own, but they don’t get that either. Norway are rewarded the restart. Some mild Welsh seething, but it’s all in the middle of the park so nothing much has been lost. A mildly amusing aside.

54 min: Bobb skates past Dasilva on the right. He reaches the byline but his cross pings off Davies and out for a corner, which is worked right to left. Nusa swans in from the flank and releases Berge into the box with a clever reverse pass down the channel. Berge opens his body and aims for the far corner, only for Cullen to make a last-ditch block. That almost certainly saved a goal. Norway are getting closer.

52 min: Nusa spins Ampadu with absurd ease down the left. Ampadu throws his hands around the winger’s waist from behind, but suddenly remembers he’s already been booked and releases. Just in time, because had Nusa gone down, Ampadu would surely have been walking. Nothing comes of the rest of the attack.

50 min: Norway knock it around the back awhile. All very patient, but Wales won’t mind this.

48 min: … the corner’s worked back to Dasilva, who threads a pass down the inside-right channel for Johnson, who swivels and lashes a first-time shot into the side netting. Selvik had it covered.

47 min: James was the liveliest Welsh attacker in the first half, and he starts the second in similar mood, dribbling down the right and winning a corner, from which …

Norway get the second half underway. No changes.

Half-time entertainment. The other game in Group A4, between Portugal and Denmark, will be played later this evening. Our first glimpse of a future without him. Miguel Dantas reports from Portugal.

45 min: Nusa rolls a pass down the left for Aasgaard, who crosses low, hoping to find Haaland in the middle for a tap-in. Rodon pokes out for a corner, from which Cullen draws a foul from Haaland. There will be one additional first-half minute.

43 min: Wilson slips James into the Norway box down the right. James pearls a shot from a tight angle. Selvik parries, and the rebound fails to fall to either Koumas or Cullen. Norway clear their lines. James has had his chances.

42 min: I wanted to use the word “bobble” for that coming-together between Davies and Bobb, but after using “weaves” it felt like putting a hat on a hat. Anyway, fine run and a defensive intervention to match.

40 min: Bobb weaves past Johnson and Dasilva down the right but can’t beat a third man in Davies. A fine dribble, but the ball pings back off Davies, onto Bobb, and out. Goal kick.

39 min: … but his near-post delivery is awful, and Cullen clears. Wales counter quickly, the ball ending up with James on the left. He whips a cross through the six-yard box. Koumas is the only yellow shirt anywhere near, and he fails to respond. Had Koumas gambled and made a run, he’d have had a tap-in.

38 min: Bobb plays a speculative ball down the right, forcing Ampadu to extend a leg and poke out for another Norway corner. Odegaard wanders over to take …

37 min: Heggem swings a cross in from the left. Under pressure from Haaland, Darlow races off his line to punch clear with authority. Odegaard tries again from the right. Haaland wins a header this time, but can’t get any power on it, or direct it goalwards. Haaland sighs.

35 min: Nusa looks a wee bit frustrated. He’s looked lively, but the final pass hasn’t come off for him. Odegaard frowning too. Craig Bellamy will be delighted to see this mild Norwegian displeasure.

33 min: Norway pin Wales back. Nusa, Odegaard and Bobb buzzing around. Wales defensively disciplined. It suddenly feels like the last 28 minutes of the rugby.

31 min: Haaland hasn’t done anything so far. But then! He holds the ball up on the edge of the Welsh box, holding off three defenders with absurd ease, and lays off to Aasgaard, whose low shot is deflected wide right. Corner, which Odegaard one-twos with Bobb, the latter releasing his mate along the byline with a cute backflick. But the flag goes up for offside. Shame, because it was a clever move.

29 min: Arsenal fans need not worry. Odegaard is fine, and he uses that now slightly flattened foot to stroke a lovely crossfield pass to Nusa on the left. Nusa cuts back infield and blazes over the bar. Wales are keeping Norway at arm’s length for the most part.

28 min: Cullen stands on Odegaard’s foot, and is fortunate to escape a booking. A slight slip, so the referee is kind. Odegaard goes down awhile, but gets back up eventually.

26 min: Bobb has the chance to release Ryerson down the right but plays the pass behind his team-mate. Norway are struggling to get into the Welsh final third.

24 min: Moller Wolfe catches Ampadu, perhaps a little payback for that earlier challenge. Just a free kick, which seems right enough. Craig Bellamy doesn’t think so, and says his piece to the fourth official. He’d do well to keep his counsel, because the coach will miss the Portugal game if he’s booked tonight.

22 min. James cuts in from the right before attempting to thread a shot into the bottom right. The ball bobbles wide; not sure Selvik had that totally covered, but we’ll never know for sure.

21 min: Wales pass it around patiently, probing down both flanks. Norway hold their shape. Craig Bellamy will be pleased with his team’s positivity.

19 min: This game is very open, as Craig Bellamy promised, albeit not in so many words. Odegaard crosses from the right; Aasgaard heads over the bar when he should have made Darlow work. Somewhere in the multiverse, both teams are on the scoresheet.

18 min: Bobb’s attempt to find Haaland with a pass into the Wales box is cut out. Wales launch a counter through Wilson, who eats up the yards down the middle, then shuttles the ball forward for James, who shifts it to the right before looking to float a shot across Selvik and into the bottom left. He clears the keeper, but the effort goes wide.

16 min: Nusa and Moller Wolfe one-two their way down the left. Ampadu comes sliding in from behind and crudely brings Moller Wolfe down, taking out his standing leg. A booking that will keep him out of the Portugal game next week. He’s slightly fortunate the referee isn’t in a bad mood, because you’ve seen red cards given for less.

15 min: … and Odegaard’s delivery, low to the near post, is met by Heggem, who sidefoots over the bar from eight yards. He probably should have scored, though the box was crowded and Dasilva was on his case.

14 min: Nusa dribbles past Williams a wee bit too easily, and crosses from the left. Haaland waits to power a header home, only for Davies to nip in ahead of him and deflect the ball over the bar. Corner coming in from the right …

12 min: Wales play some lovely one-touch stuff, drawing triangles from the left-back position all the way across to the right wing, Davies, Dasilva, Cullen and Wilson all involved, Dan James finally sending a low cross in that’s easily cleared. An underwhelming end to a sweeping easy-on-the-eye move.

10 min: Norway are seeing a lot of the ball, but most of it in their own half. The hosts struggling to play their way through the Welsh press.

9 min: Williams finds a bit of space down the right … and clanks a dreadful cross deep into the stand behind the goal. He gets some applause of encouragement from his manager anyway.

7 min: Nusa dribbles his way down the left and wins the first corner of the evening. Odegaard’s delivery is flicked on at the near post and cleared by Davies. Much as Craig Bellamy hinted, this already doesn’t feel like a 0-0 in the making.

5 min: … but Odegaard’s delivery is weak and headed clear by Ampadu. Egil Olsen would not approve.

4 min: Norway, having shipped that half-chance, spend some time stroking the ball around the back, establishing a bit of home control. Rodon gets fed up with it and clatters into Nusa, giving Norway a free kick that they’ll lump towards Haaland …

2 min: Johnson makes ground down the left, nipping past Ryerson with ease, and curls in low. Wilson, arriving late, sends a first-time sidefooted shot a long way wide left. That was a decent half-chance.

1 min: A slightly underhit Cullen backpass is nearly latched onto by Haaland. Darlow comes to the edge of his box to whack clear, just in time.

Wales get the ball rolling. A fine atmosphere at the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo.

The teams are out! Norway in their red shirts with navy-blue Nordic cross; Wales in second-choice yellow. We’ll be off once the pennants have been exchanged, coins tossed, and fists bumped.

Some more gauntlet-down talk from Craig Bellamy, this time on the BBC. “I expect Norway will have a point to prove [after their defeat in Cardiff] … but also: can we be better than we were that night as well? … we’re gonna have to be … that’s the challenge for both teams … we both want to be a better version of ourselves … reactions … duels … make better decisions … that’s what we’re always looking to chase.”

Pre-match postbag. “Wow. Just, wow. I almost don’t care what happens in the football. (Almost, but not quite.) Can’t deny the room got a little dusty as the rugby finished. The home fixture against Norway was a great performance, and a great result. More of the same, please. I’m happy with the team, looking forward to seeing Lewis Koumas teach a certain Norwegian striker about the art of centre forward play” – Matt Dony

“If I were a gambling man I might put a few Bobb on Norway” – Peter Oh

Presented for your pleasure. To read at your leisure.

This isn’t a meeting of two teams in form. Norway have lost their last three games, perhaps a wee bit emotionally spent following their glorious antics at the World Cup (and their quarter-final defeat to England makes it four losses in the last five). Wales have lost four of their last five as well, winning just one of their last eight … though that victory was over Norway last month. So there is hope; just not too much of it.

Well, nobody expected that. Now we turn our attention to the other sport woven into the very fabric of Welsh culture: snooker darts pêl-llaw football. Can the heroism on display in Cardiff inspire Craig Bellamy and his team to a famous win of their own? By way of comparison, the Welsh rugby team were priced at 20-1 to beat the All Blacks this afternoon; the football team winning in Norway is a mere 9-1 shot. Nothing is impossible.

The soundtrack in the Principality Stadium. Could it be anything else?

Wales have beaten the All Blacks for the first time since 1953! The final score 35-28. New Zealand spent pretty much the last half-hour inside the Welsh 22, but the red wall held firm. What a defensive stand! Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Lorde, Russell Crowe, Bret, Jemaine and Murray … your boys took one hell of etc. Astonishing.

So anyway, welcome to the dustcart that follows the Lord Mayor’s show.

Wales … I mean, you’re transfixed on the rugby, with a first win over New Zealand for 73 years tantalisingly close, but I’ll go on anyway … make four changes to the starting XI following the 0-1 home defeat to Denmark. Karl Darlow replaces Danny Ward in goal. Ben Cabango and Sorba Thomas are suspended, so in come Joe Rodon and Harry Wilson. And Dan James replaces his missing namesake Jordan. Six minutes away from a first win over the All Blacks since 1953, though!