Scotland aim to build on their flying start to their European Championship qualifying group when they face Norway in Oslo on Saturday.

Steve Clarke’s side made a perfect start in March against Cyprus and Spain with five goals and two clean sheets, while Norway only collected one point.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the major talking points ahead of the encounter.

How do you stop Haaland?

With 21 goals in 23 internationals, Erling Haaland’s goalscoring rate for his country is similar to the records he has set at Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and now Manchester City. Steve Clarke has decisions to make over who goes up against a striker who netted 52 goals for treble winning City this season. The player who started in the heart of the back three in victory over Spain, Grant Hanley, is missing for Scotland through injury. The likes of Jack Hendry, John Souttar and Liam Cooper are vying for his place.

Can Scotland’s forwards overshadow Haaland?

The visitors have plenty of goal threats from midfield with Scott McTominay already on four goals in the campaign and John McGinn taking his international tally to 16 in the opening victory over Cyprus. With Che Adams injured, Lyndon Dykes is likely to lead the line with eight Scotland goals to his name. Lawrence Shankland and Kevin Nisbet are both off the mark for their country and go into the game in good form.

A big chance for Scotland already

An away win would put Scotland eight points clear of their opponents and put them in a strong position to seal a top-two position and automatic qualification for Germany. A draw would also keep Scotland on course provided they follow it up with a home win against Georgia. Norway have the chance to kick-start their campaign and ensure all three top seeds have beaten each other at home.

Learning the lessons

Scotland embarked on a training camp in Spain before their normal week’s preparation, after suffering defeats against Ukraine and Republic of Ireland last June on the back of varied workloads and season finishes for their players. Clarke hopes the extra preparation will lead to a stronger post-season performance this year.

Aidan O’Brien is confident Emily Dickinson will be better the further she goes as he prepares a two-pronged assault on the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Though last year’s winner Kyprios has been ruled out through injury, the Ballydoyle maestro runs both Broome and Emily Dickinson in Thursday’s feature, which he has won on a record eight occasions.

The latter will have to recover from a lacklustre display when finishing a disappointing sixth as a 2-5 favourite in the Saval Beg at Leopardstown.

But O’Brien believes the four-year-old daughter of Dubawi will benefit from stepping up to two and a half miles, having previously won over two miles in testing ground at the Curragh in October – her first time at that distance.

“We always thought this race would suit her well, because we think she stays very well,” O’Brien told Sky Sports Racing.

“Obviously, she handles some ease in the ground well and when there is ease in the ground, stamina comes into it more.

“We think the trip will suit her and even though she handles soft ground, we don’t think she minds fast ground.”

Winner of three of her 13 runs, Emily Dickinson is the general 6-1 third-favourite behind Coltrane and Eldar Eldarov in what is considered to be an open race.

O’Brien feels Ryan Moore’s mount had excuses in the Saval Beg, run over a mile and three-quarters.

He added: “When we stepped her up to two miles at the Curragh she kind of grew another leg, then she won in very soft ground in Navan.

“The ground was soft, so it made it a testing, demanding race, and then she went back to Leopardstown for her next run and it was fast ground, they went no pace.

“Ryan got left in front. He didn’t want to be putting the gun to her head in that race, because it was obviously being used as a trial for the Gold Cup. He wasn’t too hard on her when he knew the race wasn’t going to suit her.

“She ran a nice race, obviously she will have to step up a lot from that but we think she will, going that trip.”

Last year’s Hardwicke winner Broome advertised his credentials with a Group Two success at Meydan in March, before finishing a close-up third to Giavellotto in the Yorkshire Cup last month.

The seven-year-old has yet to race beyond two miles, and O’Brien admits it will be “interesting” to see if he can handle the extra half-mile.

He added: “Obviously, we were delighted with him in Meydan and delighted with him the last day.

“I suppose the Gold Cup is an unusual race because a lot of horses get two miles, but when you go past that two miles, a lot of different stuff happens, especially in the last quarter of a mile, so it will be very interesting.

“Obviously he is a classy horse. Ryan gave him a brilliant ride in Dubai and he was very happy with him again the last time at York and he was staying on again, so it is going to be very interesting – will he get the trip?

“He is a very good-natured horse – he should relax. He should have no problem with the track or ground, so it will be interesting to see if he gets trip or not.”

Hopes are high Little Big Bear, who reverted to sprinting at Haydock after a disappointing experience in the 2000 Guineas, can back up his Group Two Sandy Lane success when he runs in the Commonwealth Cup.

He has already shown a liking for Ascot, winning the Windsor Castle at last year’s meeting.

“He is a big, powerful, classy horse,” added O’Brien. “We were delighted with him at Haydock. He is a big traveller. He looks like a big sprinter.

“Obviously, we tried him at a mile and we didn’t have time to go back again – the whole Guineas just went wrong on us and that was it.

“But we knew to go to Ascot that it would be a nice thing to have a run into him at this trip, rather than throwing him straight back in from his Guineas run.

“Frankie (Dettori) rode him and was very happy with him. Wayne (Lordan) has been riding him work since and seems very happy with him, so we’re hopeful.”

Defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick enjoyed another memorable moment in the US Open as he recorded the third hole-in-one of the week at Los Angeles Country Club.

Fitzpatrick’s tee shot on the 115-yard 15th pitched beyond the flag and span back into the hole, although he could not see where the ball had landed and was walking off the tee before the crowd’s roar sparked wild celebrations.

The eagle lifted Fitzpatrick from one over par to one under, eight shots behind the lead held by American Wyndham Clark, who had covered his first seven holes in three under to overhaul Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele.

Fowler and Schauffele had both shot 62 in the first round to record the lowest score in US Open history and equal the lowest in any men’s major, while the scoring average of 71.38 was another tournament record.

Tournament officials insisted they would not respond by making conditions “stupid hard”, although the par-three 11th was playing 297 yards on Friday and water had only been applied to “isolated spots on the putting greens for turf health”.

John Bodenhamer, chief championships officer of the USGA, told NBC: “[On Friday], as planned, we will play the golf course longer.

“We’re not going to force anything. We could do things that could make it stupid hard. We’re not going to do that.”

Dustin Johnson found the going hard enough on his own early on, the 2016 champion running up an eight on the second after tangling with a fairway bunker, thick rough and the barranca which runs down the left of the hole.

Rory McIlroy was also among the early starters and had dropped a shot on the 11th, but bounced back in style by holing a 32ft birdie putt on the 12th which had several feet of break from left to right.

McIlroy bogeyed the 13th after a pulled drive finished underneath the branches of a tree and failed to birdie the par-five 14th to remain four under.

Lee Johnson believes Hibernian have added “craft” and “nous” to their attack after signing veteran striker Adam Le Fondre on an initial one-year contract.

The 36-year-old Englishman, who has amassed 273 career goals, joins the cinch Premiership club after recently leaving Australian side Sydney, where he spent the majority of the past five years.

Prior to moving to the A-League in 2018, Le Fondre played for a range of English clubs, with his most prolific spells coming at Rochdale, Rotherham and Reading, where he played under Hibs’ current director of football, Brian McDermott.

“Adam brings craft to our new frontline and his experience and nous in the game will help develop our younger strikers,” boss Johnson told the Hibs website.

“Throughout his career he has a proven goal-scoring record and physically he’s in good shape. We look forward to working with him.”

The arrival of Le Fondre will help fill the void left by Scotland striker Kevin Nisbet, who was sold to Millwall last weekend. Hibs have the option to extend Le Fondre’s contract by a further year if they wish.

Aberdeen have announced the signing of Slovenian striker Ester Sokler on a three-year deal.

The 24-year-old, joining from NK Radomlje for an undisclosed fee, becomes the Dons’ second new arrival in as many days and third recruit of the summer, following Nicky Devlin and Leighton Clarkson.

Sokler scored 10 goals in 30 games for Radomlje last season.

Aberdeen boss Barry Robson said on the club’s official website: “Ester is a striker with all the key attributes needed to be a success here and he further strengthens our attacking options for next season.

“He fits the profile of striker we were searching for, someone who can continue to develop in the correct environment and is another good example of our overall recruitment strategy, looking further afield for players who we believe can make a positive impact here.”

Sokler will officially become an Aberdeen player subject to successful completion of the UK immigration process, following the award of a Governing Body Endorsement on Thursday.

Richard Kingscote lamented the fact Keith Dalgleish plans to leave the training ranks having partnered his Chichester to victory in the Seat Unique Ganton Stakes at York.

Dalgleish announced earlier this year he planned to do something else and was not leaving the profession for financial reasons. And with results like this he will clearly be a loss.

A talented former rider, Dalgleish is closing in on 1,000 winners. Chichester (15-2) has provided him with six of them, but this was by far the biggest with the Listed event carrying an almost £40,000 first prize.

When odds-on favourite Shining Blue hit the front he looked sure to collect for Saeed bin Suroor, but Kingscote had been biding his time on Chichester who stayed on strongly to win by a length and three-quarters.

“It was a great bit of placing by connections, they found a five-runner Listed race for good money so fair play,” said the Derby-winning jockey.

“I always thought I was getting there, we actually went a decent pace for once because in general of late we’ve been going steady but he was able to get into a nice rhythm.

“He found plenty. He’s a funny old boy, he’s more than capable as we’ve seen but sometimes he needs things to go his way. He stays this trip well, he ran over 10 furlongs the last day.

“Keith knows what he’s doing and it’s a great shame he’s handing in his licence – he can certainly do the job.”

The improvement of the David Evans-trained Radio Goo Goo (11-2) shows no signs of stopping after she won her fourth race in a row in the British EBF Supporting Racing With Pride Fillies’ Handicap.

She won first time out this year at Wolverhampton off 72, was beaten on Good Friday at Lingfield and then rattled off a treble at Chester, Haydock and back at Chester.

Racing off a career-high 86 she looked beaten, but just got the better off Al Simmo by a nose under Ben Curtis.

“To be honest she wasn’t really travelling so I had to sit on her a bit longer than I wanted to fill her up,” said Curtis.

“I didn’t think I was going to win, but the last few strides her ears went back and she really wanted it.

“She finished second a fair few times last year, but that was over five and she kept bumping into one. She’s stronger this year and is better suited to six and Dave’s horses are flying at the moment. Hopefully she can keep rising.

The most valuable race of its kind every season is the SKF Rous Selling Stakes which went the way of Ollie Pears’ Celestial Flight (7-1) in a photo finish.

James Sullivan’s mount prevailed by a head from Up The Jazz on his second start and was bought back in for £25,000.

“We always like to target this. For an inexpensive horse it gives the owners a fantastic day out and the chance to run for a big pot,” said Pears.

“I bought him back in as there would have been an awful lot of disappointed people here if I hadn’t.

“We think he’s a horse who should go on and he’s a horse who should get seven furlongs.”

Karl Burke saddled his 11th individual juvenile winner of the season when Harvanna (5-1) won the Juddmonte British EBF Fillies’ Restricted Novice Stakes after finishing third on her debut.

Clifford Lee was on top and said: “She learned a lot on her debut and we saw the benefit of that.

“We’ve got some nice two-year-olds, hopefully I’ll be on a couple next week and we’ll just see how the ground is and everything before finalising.”

Mick and David Easterby’s Menelaus (15-2) followed up a recent win at Thirsk when stylishly pulling clear in the Andy Thornton Hospitality Furniture Apprentice Handicap under Connor Planas.

It was a third success in his last four rides for Planas, who is enjoying a breakthrough season.

Michael Jordan has reached an agreement to sell his majority share of the Charlotte Hornets to a group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall, the team announced Friday in a press release.

The move will end the NBA Hall of Famer's 13-year tenure as the Hornets' primary owner. Jordan will still hold a minority stake in the franchise.

Jordan, who starred at the University of North Carolina prior to his legendary 15-year NBA playing career, had been the league's sole Black majority owner. The 60-year-old purchased the Hornets in 2010 for approximately $275 million.

Financial details of the proposed transaction, which will require approval from the NBA's Board of Governors, have not been disclosed. According to ESPN, the Hornets have a valuation of approximately $3 billion.

In the most recent ownership change involving an NBA franchise, the Phoenix Suns were purchased by mortgage investor Mat Ishbia for a reported $4 billion in December.  

Plotkin, the founder and chief investment officer of Tallwoods Capital LLC, has been a Hornets minority owner and an alternate on the NBA's Board of Governors since 2019.

Schnall is currently a minority owner of the Atlanta Hawks and is in the process of selling his share of that team. He has been with the Hawks since 2015 and is also an alternate on the Board of Governors. 

Other members of the new ownership group include country music star Eric Church and recording artist J. Cole.

Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles in a remarkable eight-year span in the 1990s as a player but never came close to reaching the same heights as an owner. The Hornets made the playoffs just twice during his reign while compiling a 423-600 overall record, which ranks 26th of the NBA's 30 teams in winning percentage over that period. 

The Hornets last won a playoff series in 2002 and their stretch of 19 consecutive seasons without a postseason series victory is tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the longest active streak in the league.

Charlotte had the NBA's fourth worst record this past season at 27-55 and holds the No. 2 overall pick in next week's draft.

Dundee have signed “old-school” Mexican defender Antonio Portales, subject to the granting of a visa and international clearance.

The 27-year-old centre-back moves to Dens Park from Atlante, a second-tier side in his homeland.

The former Oaxaca, San Luis and Monterrey player made 45 appearances and scored nine goals in the season just finished, and recently-appointed manager Tony Docherty is delighted to add Portales to the Dark Blues squad as they prepare for their return to the cinch Premiership.

“The club were made aware of Antonio and our recruitment team watched him extensively,” Docherty told the Dundee website. “We then all agreed that he would make a great addition to our playing squad.

“He is someone who enjoys defending, he is a bit old-school in terms that he enjoys defending.

“He is effective in both boxes and has real ability to play out from the back. He displays real passion and desire in his performances and I think this is something that will really relate to the Dundee fans.”

Leeds forward Zane Tetevano has described suffering a stroke last month as a “scary episode”.

The New Zealand international was rushed to hospital after collapsing during a Rhinos training session.

The 32-year-old was later diagnosed with a hole in his heart.

Tetevano told the club’s website: “I was the first one out on the field and I had a spring in my step, ready to crack on with my session.

“I was pretty much just in my warm-up period when I just started slurring my words. I missed about three plays within a drill – just basic drills – and I remember just speaking to a team-mate of mine, slurring my words.

“I just couldn’t feel my tongue, my mouth, and that’s when everything started kicking in. I was kicking the ground, standing up, having the medical staff there, then the ambulance came.

“It was a scary episode. You just don’t know what was going on until you get told you’ve had a stroke.

“I guess everyone knows I’m quite an active person, I like my training. It was a shock, a kind of unreal feeling like, ‘No, I can’t be in this position’. But I’ve come out on the right side.”

Tetevano has recovered well from the stroke but requires surgery to repair his heart problem. He is hopeful of returning to action before the end of the season.

He said: “It might sound a bit weird but, after having a stroke, I was kind of hoping that I had something wrong – a hole in your heart, ‘OK, let’s fix that thing and crack on with life’.

“At the same time I was actually nervous, thinking this can’t be, but again I was just like, ‘Good news, the quicker I get surgery done the better’.”

Tetevano has been cleared to resume non-impact aerobic training to maintain a level of fitness prior to his operation but he cannot yet play contact sport.

To help motivate himself, he is to run the Leeds 10k this Sunday to raise money for the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund.

He said: “I was just running around the canals and one of the coaches mentioned it. I was pretty keen to jump straight on it.

“It’s something that has a deep place in my heart. It’s a little thing that I can do from my episode to help raise funds for the young ones and families.”

Goalkeeper Elliott Parish has left St Johnstone after a four-year stint with the club.

The 33-year-old joined Saints from Dundee in 2019 and predominantly served as the Perth team’s back-up before taking on goalkeeping coach duties midway through the season just finished.

“Everyone at St Johnstone wishes Elliott all the best in his future career and thanks him for his service to the club,” Saints said as they confirmed his departure on Friday.

Parish made 27 appearances, the last of which came last December.

The former Bristol City, Blackpool and Colchester keeper was on the bench as understudy to Zander Clark for both finals as Saints won an historic League Cup and Scottish Cup double in 2021, while he made one appearance in the earlier rounds of each competition.

Former Dundee United manager Liam Fox has returned to boyhood club Hearts as their B Team coach.

The 39-year-old takes over the role of managing the club’s youngsters in the Lowland League after Steven Naismith recently stepped up to take charge of the first team.

Fox, a childhood supporter who came through the Jambos’ academy as a player, previously spent five and a half years coaching Hearts’ under-17s, under-20s, reserves and first team before leaving in the summer of 2020.

He returns to Tynecastle at the end of an eventful campaign in which he had a chastening five-month spell as Dundee United boss before joining Barry Robson’s backroom staff at Aberdeen from March until the end of the season.

“I’m delighted to be back at Hearts and already looking forward to getting started,” Fox told the Jambos’ website.

“This club means a lot to me and has done ever since I became a supporter as a young boy. It was an honour to come through the academy system as a player and start my coaching career here, and it is a privilege to be able to come back and take over as B Team head coach.

“Away from Hearts I’ve gained a lot of experience at different top-flight clubs in a variety of coaching roles and I feel perfectly placed to bring those skills to the B Team, as well as younger age group players and coaches within the academy.

“The club has a pathway to the first team for young players. The opportunity to be involved is there for them but they have to work hard every single day to earn it.

“My job is drive them forward, support them and get the best out of them, not only for their benefit but for the benefit of Heart of Midlothian Football Club.”

Sporting Director Joe Savage welcomed the return of Fox. “The role of B Team manager is a very important component in the football department,” he said.

“We needed someone who has a history of developing talent and improving players. Liam had displayed much of that in his time here previously, and that’s been supplemented with the experience he picked up along the away at Livingston, Dundee United and Aberdeen.

“When we were looking for someone to fill the role, Liam was our first target, so we’re delighted to get him.”

Tajalla will put his sprinting credentials to the test as Roger Varian seeks back-to-back victories in Sandown’s Molson Coors Scurry Stakes.

The speedy son of Kessaar burst on to the scene at Newmarket last spring, but injury soon struck meaning he was ruled out of the rest of the season and was not seen again until making a successful reappearance at Hamilton last month.

Having confirmed his powerful engine remains intact during that venture north of the border, the Carlburg Stables handler has now decided to try the three-year-old in Listed company at the Esher track and in a race he claimed 12 months ago with the progressive Mitbaahy.

“It’s a nice race, it’s competitive and we will learn a bit more about him tomorrow because he has only run in two novices,” said Varian.

“He’s a promising young sprinter, I think the stiff five furlongs at Sandown should suit him and we’ll see how we go.

“He’s only really had one setback which was quite a major setback and came a few weeks after his debut at Newmarket. It meant he had to miss he rest of last season, but he’s come out this year and won nicely at Hamilton and I think that form is solid with the second well regarded.

“We never planned to take him to Ascot and this looked a nice race so we have hung on. It’s a nice race for those horses who don’t quite hit that Ascot window. I don’t know if he will win or not but we will find out more about him.”

Richard Fahey’s Great State claimed the Listed Westow Stakes at York last month and attempts to extend a three-race winning run, while also looking to continue a consistent run of form is George Boughey’s Perdika.

The filly claimed her second Chantilly Listed race of the season in the Prix Marchand d’Or in between her two triumphs in France has gone close in three other Listed and Group events.

“She likes soft ground, but she won on quicker ground on French Derby day on her latest start so she is pretty versatile,” said Boughey.

“She has come out of her last race in super shape. She doesn’t do much at home and we’ve never opened her up here. We like to save her for the track.

“It is a credit to her and the guys in the team here that look after her as she is trained like a real sprinter.

“I’ve had very few horses like her and she is coming into the Oscula category now. My long-term plan is to run her in the Prix de l’Abbaye back at Longchamp in the autumn.”

Karl Burke’s Yahsat returns from 344 days off the track and was last seen chasing home The Platinum Queen on the Knavesmire, with Clive Cox’s Katey Kontent also on the comeback trail following over 300 days on the sidelines.

The daughter of Havana Grey, who shaped like a useful prospect at two, missed an intended engagement at York last month but is now reported to be back in tip-top condition.

“She had a little hold up ahead of going to York with a pulled muscle which was one of those things but I’m pleased to say we are back on track now,” said Cox.

“She is a filly that we hold in good regard and we hope she shows the promise she did early in her career.

“She has got bags of speed and showed a lot of class early on last year, but everything happened quite quickly for her.

“She has matured and developed well over the winter and we are looking forward to seeing her back in action. We feel she is in that Listed bracket hence her entry here.”