A defeat in Oslo was a blow to our World Cup hopes in 1993.

England’s qualifying campaign for the 1994 World Cup in America was stuttering as they went into an away fixture in Norway on this day 17 years ago.

In their previous two matches they had drawn at home to Holland and away to Poland, so they were desperate for a win in Oslo.

Graham Taylor, at the end of his third season as England boss, tried a new formation in the Ulleval Stadium and it didn’t really work. He played three at the back – Gary Pallister, Des Walker and Tony Adams – and gave Paul Gascoigne a free role behind the front three.

Bohinen quickly showed that he had the beating of Pallister down the right and the Norwegians dominated the first half, forcing nine corners against none for England.

Two minutes from the break Halle fed a free-kick through to Fjortoft, while Walker was busy complaining to the referee, and his cross to the near post was turned past Chris Woods by Leonhardsen via a deflection.

Three minutes into the second half things looked even grimmer for England as the hosts went 2-0 up. The overlapping Bohinen, in acres of space, cut inside to shoot across Woods and into the far corner.

Les Ferdinand fluffed a simple chance to reduce the arrears soon after that, with the England team and their fans realising it wasn’t going to be their day.

A week later England lost by the same score in Boston, our first defeat to USA since the World Cup debacle in 1950.