Sørloth and Haaland each strike twice in 4-1 win
Nigeria beat Gabon to reach African playoff final
Alexander Sørloth and Erling Haaland both scored twice in Norway’s 4-1 home win against Estonia on Thursday that put them on the verge of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1998.
Norway have all but secured a place at next year’s tournament in North America as they hold a six-point lead over second-placed Italy, who play Moldova later on Thursday, in Group I. Italy need to beat both Moldova and Norway in their remaining two qualifiers and overturn a 19-goal deficit to leapfrog the Norwegians and snatch the automatic qualifying spot.
The visitors initially denied the hosts the space and rhythm they have so often exploited during this qualification campaign. Oscar Bobb missed the best chance to put Norway ahead when he struck the woodwork with a low cross just before half-time. The home crowd, expecting a comfortable lead, made their frustration clear, greeting the whistle with loud boos as the players headed towards the dressing room.
