Helguson on the scoresheet

5:20am Monday 8th September 2008

HEIDAR Helguson was on the scoresheet as Iceland grabbed a 2-2 draw in Norway on the opening night of World Cup qualifiers in Europe.

Gretar Steinsson also figured, with former Wanderers striker Eidur Gudjohnsen scoring Iceland’s second in Oslo.

Danny Shittu helped Nigeria to a surprise 1-0 win against South Africa, damaging the 2010 World Cup hosts’ chances of making the African Cup of Nations. Ikechukwu Uche scored the winning goal, although the Super Eagles were forced to defend for much of the game.

Ricardo Gardner couldn’t prevent Jamaica from slipping to a 3-0 defeat against Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Mexico at the Azteca Stadium.

Tamir Cohen played for Israel, picking up a yellow card as his side secured a last-minute draw with Switzerland with a goal from Ben Sahar.

Both Joey O’Brien and new loan signing Ebi Smolarek were unused substitutes for Ireland and Poland in their matches against Georgia and Slovenia respectively.