Vieri works his magic as Italy move into last eight

ITALY became the first team to qualify for the World Cup quarter-finals when they beat Norway 1-0 in a second-phase game yesterday, but were whistled off the Stade Velodrome by fans unhappy with an indecisive performance. But there is a certain inevitability about Italy's advance and once their impressive striker Christian Vieri had put them ahead, it was always going to be an uphill battle for the predictable Norwegians. Italy, when in front, are Scrooge-like in defence and Norway's long ball game to the seemingly tireless Tore Andre Flo did not unsettle a defence well marshalled by Guiseppe Bergomi and Alessandro Costacurta. If there was a real Italian hero then it was probably the veteran Bergomi who never flinched and battled throughout in the 30 degree heat which had players from both sides gasping and grasping for water bottles at every stoppage. Italy invariably get stronger as a World Cup progresses and that is what is happening at France 98, although there is still an uncertainty about the side. Norway were an ideal team for Italy to face in this round. It was going to be impossible for Egil Olsen's team to change their style of play and high balls were never going to greatly trouble Italy - or goalkeeper Gianluca Pagliuca, who is also coming into his own. Coach Cesare Maldini said: 'We have done what we set out to do today and that was to get to the quarter-finals. Sometimes football is like chess and you have to make the right moves. 'We picked the team today for the job that was in hand and they have performed well. We knew Norway would fight but the vital break was getting the goal quite early in the game. 'Frankly, the most disappointing part of the game for me is that we did not get more goals because we could have.' Norway had sporadic moments when they did truly threaten and they can certainly be proud of Flo, who ran himself literally into the ground. Unlike Italy, however, they tended to live off half-chances, while the costly Alessandro Del Piero could have put this game well beyond any hope of a Norway recovery had he been more accurate. Norway's Egil Olsen, who has now officially relinquished his position as coach, said: 'We fought very hard and I could not ask more of my team. Italy played well and they are a hard team to beat, everyone knows that. In the end, we just could not get into positions where we would really give them a problem.' Norway had been tight in defence in their first-round games and Italy were making little immediate impression in the early part of the game. But Norway were hit when Liverpool's Oyvind Leonhardsen, a midfield motivator capable of popping up with a goal, was taken off injured and the same fate was suffered by substitute Roar Strand later in the first half. The Italian midfield have been industrious in this World Cup more than inventive but Luigi Di Biagio, who came on in the Italy's opening game against Chile, has established himself in this side. But it the towering Vieri who has made the biggest impact on this tournament from the Italian side and he gave them the lead in the 18th minute. Norway were uncharacteristically caught pushing up and a wonderful through ball from Di Biagio - after a Norwegian attack had been broken up - saw Vieri sprint half the field to drill the ball wide of Frode Grodas into the net. Although the Italians were subjected to ear-splitting whistling from discontented supporters when playing possession football at the back, there was a lively final 15 minutes to the opening half. Del Piero was clear when the linesman's flag stayed down but Grodas saved again and Henning Berg rose at the back post but headed a corner wide - a half chance at least for the Norwegians to restore equality before the half-time whistle. With Norway having to push forward, their normally mean defence was more open and the game could have been all but dead when Moriero, with the hard-working Grodas to beat, attempted a chip but, stretched to his last centimetre, the goalkeeper held it. Norway, although living dangerously, exerted more influence on the game but Erik Mykland was twice wasteful when in possession and going forward. He had options to bring Tore Andre Flo or Havard Flo into the play but elected to go on himself and was blocked. In the final minute Enrico Chiesa, who had come on for Del Piero, could well have done better on the break when his angled shot was sliced hopelessly wide. TEAMS Italy: 12-Gianluca Pagliuca; 2-Giuseppe Bergomi, 5-Alessandro Costacurta, 3-Paolo Maldini (captain), 4-Fabio Cannavaro, 9-Demetrio Albertini (7-Gianluca Pessotto 72), 11-Dino Baggio, 14-Luigi Di Biagio, 17-Francesco Moriero (15-Angelo Di Livio 63); 10-Alessandro Del Piero (20-Enrico Chiesa 77), 21-Christian Vieri. Norway: 1-Frode Grodas (captain); 4-Henning Berg, 15-Dan Eggen, 3-Ronny Johnsen, 5-Stig Inge Bjornebye; 17-Havard Flo (20-Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 73), 8-Oyvind Leonhardsen (22-Roar Strand 13, 6-Stale Solbakken 40), 10-Kjetil Rekdal, 21-Vidar Riseth, 7-Erik Mykland; 9-Tore Andre Flo.