Striker Emmanuel Olisadebe scored twice to help Poland beat Norway 3-2 in a World Cup qualifying match on Saturday and tighten Poland's grip on European group five.

Nigerian-born Olisadebe, who plays for Greek team Panathinaikos, put Poland ahead in the 23rd minute with a shot to the right of goalkeeper Thomas Myhre and made it 2-0 six minutes later with a shot from about 20 metres.

Norway came out fighting after the break, however, and Valencia striker John Carew headed in a goal in the 58th minute. And Manchester United's Ole Gunnar Solskjaer levelled the scores in the 66th minute with a shot from 15 metres.

But Polish substitiute Bartosz Karwan punctured the Norwegian comeback by heading in Poland's third in the 80th minute.

Poland, who were one point clear of Belarus and Ukraine before Saturday's game, head the group with 10 points while Norway are floundering on two after four games. Wales play Armenia and Ukraine play Belarus later on Saturday.

'I'm very disappointed. We made an honest attempt,' Norwegian coach Nils Johan Semb said. "But luck didn't run our way.'

He said that Norway now had scant chance of reaching the World Cup finals qualifying in both 1994 and 1998 and would need to win all their remaining games.