On a night when Erling Haaland moped around the pitch, dragging his hulking frame across the Cardiff turf, Wales registered a welcome victory over 10-man Norway and their first this year. Daniel James cancelled out Oscar Bobb’s well-worked opener in the first half and 17 seconds into the restart Torbjørn Heggem was sent off for fouling James as the Leeds winger streamed through towards goal, resulting in a free-kick from which Neco Williams earned Craig Bellamy’s side the three points. “You’re just a shit Kieffer Moore,” was the chant at Haaland from the locals.

Bellamy was under no illusions about the task facing his side. He described Norway as one of the best teams in the world and one riding the crest of a wave after reaching the World Cup quarter-finals. Martin Ødegaard, the Arsenal and Norway captain, was the visitors’ creator in chief and it was no surprise he was the architect for a crisp opener, slotted in by Bobb, one of two Fulham players and one of five Premier League regulars in the Norway starting lineup.

Ødegaard took the ball off Sander Berge, another of those familiar faces, and rolled a soft, weighted pass behind Ben Davies. Bobb scurried behind the Wales captain and beat Danny Ward at the near post.

Wales welcomed back Lewis Koumas, one of five changes from Sunday’s defeat in Denmark, and it was another player promoted to the starting lineup who was the catalyst for the hosts’ equaliser. Liam Cullen, who in the summer joined Leicester from Swansea, pinched the ball from Berge after the Fulham midfielder was sluggish to claim Fredrik Aursnes’s pass and Wales raced away in possession. Cullen and Koumas burst forward and Sorba Thomas, who was a constant danger on the flank, sent a low cross into the box, where James beat David Møller Wolfe to the punch. Wales had their first goal of the campaign and Haaland clamped his hands on his hips.

Wales had responded well after going behind and Norway appeared a little complacent. Thomas elected to square the ball for James rather than shoot when in on goal, allowing Møller Wolfe to intervene, and then the Brentford defender Kristoffer Ajer diverted a Thomas cross wide for a corner.

Norway equally should have doubled their lead and Ben Cabango, the Swansea defender asked to mark Cristiano Ronaldo and Haaland over the past week, was grateful Berge’s cross cannoned off him and straight into the hands of Ward after he got his feet in a muddle in front of goal.

Haaland had one of those Haaland halves; he was on the periphery of things and recorded only 11 first-half touches, the fewest of any player, including the Dortmund full-back Julian Ryerson who was forced off through injury after 16 minutes. Ethan Ampadu easily won what, technically, will go down as a duel on halfway but in truth Haaland just stuck out a flailing leg in the hope of catching the ball. His only whiff of goal in the first half came a couple of minutes before the interval but Ryerson’s replacement, Marcus Pedersen, misread Haaland’s movement and the moment passed.

Norway were punished for being slow out of the blocks, 13 seconds after Ødegaard got the second half started. At which point a ponderous Heggem hauled down James after the Leeds winger soared on to a hooked – and hopeful – Davies clearance. James does everything at speed and Heggem, seemingly after a mix-up with Møller Wolfe, knew he was in trouble. The Spanish referee, Alejandro Hernández, duly sent him off and awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box and Williams dispatched a wonderful right-foot strike to Ørjan Nyland’s right, to the surprise of the former Aston Villa and Reading goalkeeper. Bobb played draught excluder behind a white wall of Norway shirts and Nyland stepped to his left. He was out of position when he had to shuttle across his goalline as Williams thrashed the ball into the bottom corner.

It was the 58th minute when Haaland had his first chance, climbing above Davies but not making clean contact with his header after meeting Møller Wolfe’s cross from the left. Moments later, another Thomas cross caused more problems for Norway’s back line, Jordan James attempting to flick a boot at the ball and Ajer swinging and missing. Ståle Solbakken turned to Jørgen Strand Larsen and Antonio Nusa with 15 minutes of normal time remaining.

Wales spurned a golden chance to extend their advantage, the substitute Josh Sheehan sending a weak shot at Nyland after more fine craftsmanship from Thomas to release the Bolton midfielder in on goal. Up the other end, Haaland ambled across the box before Pedersen sent another cross in from the right. When Pedersen whipped the ball in, Haaland soared highest but, unmarked, headed straight at Ward. Then came a puff of the cheeks, a look to the turf. It has been that kind of week.