Haaland and Sorloth Fire Norway to the Brink of World Cup Glory

Norway are on the edge of making history after Erling Haaland and Alexander Sørloth both scored twice in a dominant win over Estonia, moving the team within touching distance of their first World Cup appearance in 28 years.

Norway unstoppable in Group I

The 4-1 victory marked Norway’s seventh straight win in World Cup qualifying, keeping them top of Group I with a six-point lead over Italy. Their superior goal difference of +19 means that even if Italy win their remaining match against Moldova, it’s almost impossible for them to catch the Norwegians.

A slip-up from Italy later on Thursday would officially seal Norway’s spot at the 2026 World Cup, set to take place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

Second-half power surge

For much of the first half, Norway struggled to convert their chances. But early in the second period, Sørloth broke the deadlock with a strong header before adding another moments later to give the hosts control.

Then came the Erling Haaland show — the Manchester City superstar powered home a header from Julian Ryerson’s cross and fired in his second goal seven minutes later to make it 4-0.

Estonia grabbed a late consolation through Robi Saarma, but the result was never in doubt as Norway took another huge step toward qualification.

First World Cup since 1998 within reach

Norway’s last World Cup appearance came in France 1998, where they famously beat Brazil in the group stage. With Haaland and Sørloth in lethal form, fans are now dreaming of seeing their national team return to football’s biggest stage after nearly three decades.

If results go their way, the celebrations could begin as early as tonight.