Dusseldorf, Germany  - Norway snatched a rare 1-0 win over Germany in a friendly international in Dusseldorf on Wednesday.

Christian Grindheim scored from close range in the 63rd minute to get a new spell in charge by coach Egil Olsen off to a winning start.

It was the second successive home defeat by Germany who had been beaten 2-1 by England in Berlin in November.

Norway, who were without a win in 2008, were full value for their first victory against Germany since the 1936 Olympics.

It also inflicted two straight defeats on a German side for the first time under coach Joachim Loew.

There was little positive to take from the game for Loew ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Wales.

"We can't complain that we lost. We will learn our lessons from this I can assure you," he said.

"Norway were well organized and we couldn't switch from defence to attack quickly. There was a lot missing from our game. We lacked pace and created too few goal chances. Norway had all the time in the world to get 10 men behind the ball."

The German side enjoyed plenty of possession but lacked inspiration. Norway were content to sit back and defend in numbers but when they did break they were more the effective.

Goalkeeper Rene Adler had to tip a Thorstein Helstad header over the bar in the 22nd minute as Norway demonstrated they were a danger when they ventured forward.

The visitors were also unfortunate not to get a penalty, but Austrian referee Stefan Messner waved play on after Daniel Braaten was upended in the area by Heiko Westermann.

The Germans had to wait for nearly an hour for their best chance when keeper Rune Almenning Jarstein dived low to tip a Mario Gomez driver round the post.

But it was Norway who took the lead in a goal which summed up Germany's lacklustre display.

A long throw on the left was headed back to Morten Gamst Pedersen who had time to cross for Grindheim to force the ball over the line from close range for his first goal for Norway.

Germany were virtually at full strength with captain Michael Ballack and Torsten Frings back in the side in central midfield.

But Loew rang the changes at half-time, bringing on Hoffenheim defender Andreas Beck for his first cap.

Serdar Tasci, Patrick Helmes, Stefan Kiessling, Marko Marin and Mesut Ozil for his first cap also saw action, without effect.

Although the Norwegian season does not resume until March, the visitors looked the sharper, and a good move almost led to a second when Per Skjelbred flashed a shot over the bar.

Olsen, 66, who led Norway to the 1994 and 1998 World Cups, is in initially in charge of the team for three matches, but the victory may help him stay on longer. dpa