Norway dominate Matchday 3 of the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers with a commanding 3–0 victory over Italy, as Erling Haaland once again proves to be the focal point of the Norwegian attack. The Manchester City striker capped the scoring with a sensational goal that highlighted his elite finishing and composure in front of net.
Haaland’s goal came from a clinical transition play initiated by Arsenal’s Martin Ødegaard, who intercepted a loose ball in midfield and delivered a precise through ball that split the Italian back line.
Haaland took a deft touch, faked out goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma — widely regarded as one of the world’s top shot-stoppers — dragged the ball to his right, and finished with a pinpoint strike across goal. and extends his scoring streak with the national team to 41 goals in 42 matches. Impressive.
The first two goals were orchestrated by Norway’s emerging stars. Atlético Madrid forward Alexander Sørloth opened the scoring after latching onto a perfectly timed through ball from Antonio Nusa on a blistering counterattack. Nusa doubled the lead moments later with a composed finish from inside the box, showcasing his growing influence within the squad.
Norway close in on World Cup berth
With this emphatic result against a traditional powerhouse like Italy, Norway now sit atop Group I with a perfect nine points from three matches. The Norwegians have been in top form, scoring 12 goals in their first three outings — a 5–0 win over Moldova, a 4–2 victory against Israel, and now the 3–0 win over Italy. Their attack is firing on all cylinders, and confidence continues to grow.
Group I also includes Israel, Estonia, and Moldova. Following this loss, Italy fall to fourth in the group with zero points, while Israel and Estonia occupy the second and third spots, respectively.
Italy facing historic crisis
Italy’s qualification hopes are now in serious jeopardy. The Azzurri have not appeared in a FIFA World Cup since Brazil 2014. They failed to qualify for both Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 — marking the first time in history they missed back-to-back tournaments. With their current struggles, a third straight absence appears increasingly likely. Could this be the lowest point for Italian soccer in modern history? The numbers — and the performances — suggest it might be.