Haaland Scores Twice as Norway Edge Closer to World Cup qualification,Piling Pressure on Italy
Norway is on the brink of securing a spot at the 2026 World Cup after a dominant second-half performance against Estonia on Thursday,fueled by a brace from Erling haaland adn two goals from alexander Sorloth. the 4-0 victory puts significant pressure on Italy, who must now win their upcoming match against Moldova to maintain any hope of automatically qualifying as group winners.
This result dramatically shifts the landscape of Group I.Norway now boasts a perfect record of six wins from six matches, accumulating 18 points. While Italy can match their point total, Norway’s superior goal difference – currently at +29 compared to Italy’s +10 – presents a formidable obstacle. A final showdown between the two nations looms, but Norway appears poised to reach their first World Cup since 1998.
The match remained scoreless until a flurry of activity after halftime. Alexander Sorloth, formerly of Gent, ignited the Norwegian attack with two swift goals in the 49th and 51st minutes. Haaland then took center stage,adding his own double in the 62nd and 68th minutes,solidifying the victory.
With only one qualifying match remaining,Norway’s chances are exceptionally high. They will travel to Italy for their final game, but even a draw for Italy may not be enough to overcome Norway’s significant goal advantage. The pressure is now firmly on the Italians to deliver a convincing win against moldova and hope for an unlikely goal-scoring spree in their final match against Norway.
