Norway boss Solbakken furious with Steve Clarke after Scotland cancels friendly

The behind-closed-doors match, due to be held at Scotland's training base in Charlotte, was organised to provide squad players with game time ahead of the World Cup.

However, Norway, who drew 1-1 with Scotland's group opponents Morocco in a friendly in New Jersey on Sunday, were told that the Scots did not wish to proceed with the fixture because of fitness worries.

The last-minute cancellation has angered Solbakken. "It came as a great surprise to me, and it is unprofessional on Scotland's part. It is unprofessional that the manager has not called me personally, instead using the team manager to deliver the news, and saying that after we finished training yesterday", Solbakken told NRK after Norway's friendly against Morocco.

"I do not believe the injuries they cited were picked up in that final training session. That is not the case. It is disappointing. It is unprofessional. But we have to accept it. That is why we made a few adjustments in today's match", said Solbakken.

The Scottish withdrawal was made at 02.00 CET on Sunday morning.

"Of course it is ridiculous. We would have liked a match tomorrow so that everyone can get match experience. That is life; we cannot complain about it. We must find solutions", said Martin Odegaard, the Arsenal and Norway captain, who scored the equaliser against Morocco.

Norwegian player liaison Brede Hangeland was also unimpressed by the Scots.

"We have been working on that match for many months. It is embarrassing to cancel it a couple of days beforehand. There is nothing we can do about it, we just have to move on and make the best of it", said Hangeland to NRK.

"A great deal of organisation, agreements and gentlemen's agreements have gone into it, and then suddenly they change their minds. I think that is feeble," he added.

Norway play their first World Cup match on 17 June against Iraq, while Scotland will take to the field for the first time on 14 June against Haiti.