In a historic football match that will be remembered for generations, Norway secured their first FIFA World Cup berth since 1998 with a stunning 4-1 victory over Italy at San Siro on Sunday. The qualification ends a 27-year drought for the Scandinavian nation, powered by their superstar striker Erling Haaland who scored twice within seconds to confirm their place in next summer's tournament across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Historic Victory at San Siro
The atmosphere was electric as 70,000 spectators watched Norway complete their qualifying campaign in spectacular fashion. Coming into the match, Norway's position was virtually secure - they would have needed to lose by nine goals or more for Italy to snatch the group's only automatic qualification spot. Instead, Stale Solbakken's team finished Group I with 24 points from eight matches, demonstrating their dominance throughout the qualification process.
The match began with Italy showing early promise as Pio Esposito put the hosts ahead in the 11th minute. However, Norway's resilience shone through as Antonio Nusa equalized in the 63rd minute, setting the stage for Erling Haaland's remarkable performance.
Haaland's Brilliant Double Strike
The Manchester City superstar demonstrated why he's considered one of world football's most lethal strikers, scoring two crucial goals within seconds during the final stages of the match. Haaland found the net in both the 78th and 79th minutes, effectively sealing Norway's historic qualification.
Norway coach Stale Solbakken described his star player as a "goal machine" after the match. The statistics support this claim - the 25-year-old has been phenomenal throughout qualifying, scoring 16 goals for his national team. This season, Haaland maintains an incredible record of more than a goal per match for both club and country.
The victory carried extra significance for the Haaland family. When Norway last appeared in a World Cup 27 years ago, Erling Haaland's father, Alf-Inge Haaland, was still an international player. That 1998 tournament was ultimately won by France.
Italy's Continuing World Cup Woes
For Italy, the defeat represents another painful chapter in their recent World Cup qualification struggles. The Azzurri finished six points behind Norway in Group I and will now face the uncertainty of playoffs in March. The disappointment was palpable among home fans, with many leaving San Siro early and those who remained whistling as the match concluded.
Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso apologized to fans during his post-match interview with RAI, expressing genuine concern about the team's direction. "It's worrying, I'd be a liar to say that it doesn't concern me," Gattuso stated, highlighting the challenge of regrouping when the team won't meet again for three months.
Italy's qualification campaign had been troubled from the beginning, starting with a 3-0 loss to Norway that led to Luciano Spalletti's departure as coach. While the team showed improvement under Gattuso, they clearly lacked a player of Haaland's caliber - a concerning reality for a nation that has produced some of football's greatest talents.
This marks the third consecutive World Cup qualification failure for Italy, having missed the last two tournaments after playoff defeats to Sweden and North Macedonia. The latter disappointment came less than a year after their triumphant Euro 2021 campaign, highlighting the stark contrast in their tournament fortunes.
As Norway celebrates their long-awaited return to football's biggest stage, coach Solbakken remained cautious about making predictions. "Let's see the draw first... I haven't even thought about it. For me, it was to go from 99 percent to 100 percent and now we have done it in a great way," he told reporters, preferring to savor the qualification achievement before contemplating their World Cup prospects.
