Norway Beats Estonia 4-1, Nears 2026 World Cup Spot

Norway defeated Estonia 4-1 in Oslo on Thursday, moving within one step of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup for the first time since 1998. The victory at Ullevaal Stadion strengthened Norway's position at the top of Group I, where they hold a six-point lead over Italy and a 19-goal advantage in difference.

The match remained scoreless through a frustrating first half, with Estonia's disciplined defense frustrating the hosts and drawing boos from the crowd at halftime. Norway coach Stale Solbakken's side turned the game around after the break, scoring four goals in just 12 minutes. Alexander Sorloth opened the scoring in the 50th minute with a clinical finish, then added a second two minutes later to make it 2-0. Erling Haaland, the Manchester City striker and Norway's captain, then struck twice in a six-minute span, first assisted by Julian Ryerson and then with a powerful volley from David Wolfe's cross, extending the lead to 4-0. Estonia pulled one back through Robi Saarma in the 64th minute, but the result was never in doubt.

Haaland's brace brought his tally to 14 goals in seven group-stage matches, accounting for nearly half of Norway's European-leading 33 strikes in the...