Panama World Cup team hotel raided during match

OSLO: At around the time that World Cup minnows Panama were playing Norway this week, thieves were busy rifling their Oslo hotel rooms, police told AFP on Thursday.

The Panamanian football federation tweeted: “Three #Panamayor hotel rooms were robbed in Oslo, Norway. Norwegian police are at the scene looking for clues.” Police say objects worth around 53,000 euros ($62,000) were taken from three rooms in a downtown Oslo hotel, explaining thieves are thought to have used an old magnetic room key or a stolen one and that video footage would be examined.

Police spokeswoman Aslaug Rohne told AFP the robbery probably took place at the same time as Panama were being beaten by Norway on Wednesday in a match that ended 1-0. Panama will make their World Cup debut in Russia, where the central Americans will face England, Belgium and Tunisia in Group G. Panama kick off their campaign against Belgium in Sochi on June 18, the same day group G opponents Tunisia host England.