Norway moved a step closer to securing a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a commanding 4-1 home victory over Estonia on Thursday. Alexander Sorloth and Erling Haaland were the stars of the show, each finding the net twice as the hosts dominated the second half. This result puts Norway on the verge of their first World Cup appearance since 1998.
The Scandinavian side now holds a six-point advantage over second-placed Italy in Group I. With Italy set to face Moldova later on Thursday, they would need to win both remaining matches and overcome a 19-goal deficit to surpass Norway and claim the automatic qualifying spot.
Norway faced a challenging first half as Estonia executed a disciplined defensive game plan, limiting the hosts to slow and predictable attacks. The home crowd expressed their frustration with boos at halftime as the score remained 0-0.
The breakthrough came shortly after the restart when Sorloth scored twice within two minutes, igniting Norway’s offensive surge. Haaland then added two more goals as Estonia’s defense crumbled. Although Robi Saarma managed to pull one back for Estonia in the 64th minute, Norway had already seized full control of the match, securing a vital step toward World Cup qualification.
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