Norway took a monumental step towards ending their long wait for a World Cup finals appearance with a commanding 4-1 victory over Estonia in a crucial qualifying match on Thursday.
The attacking duo of Alexander Sørloth and Erling Haaland both scored two goals each to secure a vital three points that leaves Norway tantalisingly close to securing their place at the 2026 tournament in North America.
Frustration Turns to Jubilation in Oslo
The match at the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo did not begin as smoothly as the home fans had hoped. A disciplined Estonian side effectively stifled Norway's attacking rhythm for much of the first half, denying their star players space and time on the ball.
The home crowd's frustration was palpable when Oscar Bobb struck the woodwork with a low cross just before the interval. The teams were greeted by loud boos as they headed to the dressing rooms with the scoreline still deadlocked.
Second-Half Onslaught Seals the Deal
The atmosphere transformed completely after the break. Just five minutes into the second half, Sander Berge delivered a perfect cross into the box, which Sørloth met with a powerful header to finally break the deadlock.
The relief was immediate, and the floodgates opened. Barely two minutes later, Sørloth found the net again with another header, doubling Norway's lead and sending the stadium into a frenzy.
With the Estonian defence in disarray, the prolific Haaland then joined the party. In the 56th minute, he powered in a header of his own to make it 3-0. The Manchester City striker wasn't finished, adding a fourth goal just six minutes later to put the result beyond any doubt.
Estonia managed a consolation goal through Robi Saarma two minutes after Haaland's second, but it did little to dampen the Norwegian celebrations.
What This Victory Means for Norway's World Cup Dream
This result places Norway in an extremely strong position in Group I. They now hold a six-point lead over second-placed Italy, who faced Moldova later on Thursday.
For Italy to snatch the automatic qualification spot, they would need to win both of their remaining matches, including one against Norway, and also overcome a staggering 19-goal deficit. This makes Norway's qualification for their first World Cup since the 1998 edition in France all but mathematically secure.
In other World Cup qualifying action, Nigeria overcame internal disruption to beat Gabon 4-1 in their African qualifying playoff semi-final. After a strike over unpaid money disrupted their preparations, the Nigerian team required extra time to secure their place in the final, where they will face either Cameroon or the Democratic Republic of Congo.
