OSLO, July 1 (Reuters) - Thousands ⁠of Norwegian fans joined in a huge "Viking row" celebration ⁠through Oslo on Tuesday, after their team advanced to ‌the World Cup last 16, in a night of wild rejoicing that left a trail of damage to metro trains and city streets.

A vast crowd clad ​in red, blue and white stretched from ⁠the Royal Palace hundreds ⁠of metres along Karl Johans gate, the city's main street, performing ⁠the ‌synchronised rowing action which has become Norwegian fans' trademark at their team's World Cup matches in the United ⁠States.

Norway beat Ivory Coast 2-1 on Tuesday in ​their first knockout-round ‌win at a World Cup, sending tens of thousands of ⁠fans out ​into Oslo's streets to celebrate.

Near the Royal Palace, over-enthusiastic revellers uprooted plants and tore down fence posts.

"I daren't think what will happen if ⁠we make it all the way ​to the final," Royal Gardener Ole Johan Hildre told Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

Transit authorities had to take metro carriages out of service for repairs ⁠after fans tore down advertisements and dented carriage ceilings during the post-match revelry.

"It is unfortunate that people get so carried away that it affects our equipment," Gina Scholz, communications manager for ​transit operator Sporveien, told local media, though ⁠she then added: "It has been a fantastic evening."

More than two million ​of Norway's approximately5.5-million population watched the match, ‌according to estimates from TV2, the ​commercial broadcaster which shares the rights to the tournament.

(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; editing by Clare Fallon)