Latest news with #AntonioNusa
Free Malaysia Today
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Free Malaysia Today
Clinical Norway hand Italy painful 3-0 defeat
Norway lead the standings in Group I with nine points after three matches. (BILDBYRAN/Reuters pic) OSLO : Norway stunned Italy with a 3-0 win on Friday, handing the visitors a humiliating start to their World Cup qualifying campaign. In Group I, Norway lead the standings with nine points after three matches. Italy were playing their first match in the qualifying campaign. The soaking wet home crowd had reason to cheer after 14 minutes when Alexander Sorloth timed his run perfectly onto a through ball from Antonio Nusa and slotted it home from close range. Nusa lit up the night with a moment of brilliance after 34 minutes, controlling a pass with a slick first touch, bursting past two Italian defenders with a dazzling run, and drilling it in from the edge of the box. The first-half rout continued when another through ball from Martin Odegaard found an unmarked Erling Haaland, who rounded Italy keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to score Norway's third just before the break. The continued pouring rain cooled the match down in second-half with Norway coming closest with substitute Patrick Berg sending a screamer into the post just after the hour mark, but no more goals were scored.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
‘Unprecedented crisis': After shock loss, Italy fear missing third straight World Cup
Italy, who have failed to qualify for the last two FIFA World Cups, are already fretting over the ignominy of missing the third after a 3-0 loss to Norway on Friday night. First half goals from Alexander Sorloth, Antonio Nusa and Erling Haaland were enough for Norway to inflict another defeat on Italy, who found themselves in a precarious position, in the European World Cup qualifiers. Italy, yet to earn a point, are fourth in Group I, although they have played two games fewer than the teams above them because of their involvement in the Nations League. Norway are the table-toppers with nine points followed by Israel with six and Estonia are placed third with three points. Group winners directly qualify for the 2026 World Cup while the runners-up progress to the play-offs. The defeat has sparked fears in Italy of the former champions completing the dubious hat-trick of missing the World Cup, having missed the 2018 and 2022 editions as well. Leading Italian sports daily, Gazzetta Dello Sport, called the situation an 'unprecedented crisis.' 'Let's prepare for yet another torture in the playoffs, assuming we grab second place. The national team seen yesterday in Oslo was embarrassing and it is legitimate to doubt everything, to expect the worst of the worst. This is who we are, and we are poor, empty,' the newspaper noted. Italy's under-fire coach Luciano Spalletti took responsibility for Friday's defeat and told Sky Sport Italia that it was a 'difficult moment'. 'There are always worries, because after a performance like that, you clearly have to ask yourself questions and realise there are problems, but you have to face them, because there is no other possibility,' Spalletti said. Italy captain Gianluigi Donnarumma, too, was downcast, saying he had 'no explanation' for the loss. 'Our supporters don't deserve this kind of match,' Donnarumma, who won the Champions League with Paris St-Germain last Saturday, said. 'We need to do some soul-searching. It's unacceptable.' Italy's next face Moldova, who are bottom of their group, on Monday.
Sharjah 24
3 days ago
- Sport
- Sharjah 24
Italy thrashed by Norway as Belgium held in World Cup qualifying
Alexander Sorloth, Antonio Nusa and Erling Haaland all scored in the first half in pouring rain in Oslo as Norway made it a night to forget for Italy, who missed out on the last two World Cups.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Clinical Norway hand Italy painful 3-0 defeat
NORWAY stunned Italy with a 3-0 win on Friday, handing the visitors a humiliating start to their World Cup qualifying campaign. In Group I, Norway lead the standings with nine points after three matches. Italy were playing their first match in the qualifying campaign. The soaking wet home crowd had reason to cheer after 14 minutes when Alexander Sorloth timed his run perfectly onto a through ball from Antonio Nusa and slotted it home from close range. Nusa lit up the night with a moment of brilliance after 34 minutes, controlling a pass with a slick first touch, bursting past two Italian defenders with a dazzling run, and drilling it in from the edge of the box. The first-half rout continued when another through ball from Martin Odegaard found an unmarked Erling Haaland, who rounded Italy keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to score Norway's third just before the break. The continued pouring rain cooled the match down in second-half with Norway coming closest with substitute Patrick Berg sending a screamer into the post just after the hour mark, but no more goals were scored.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Norway Shock Italy 3-0 in World Cup Qualifier Opener
NORWAY stunned Italy with a 3-0 win on Friday, handing the visitors a humiliating start to their World Cup qualifying campaign. In Group I, Norway lead the standings with nine points after three matches. Italy were playing their first match in the qualifying campaign. The soaking wet home crowd had reason to cheer after 14 minutes when Alexander Sorloth timed his run perfectly onto a through ball from Antonio Nusa and slotted it home from close range. Nusa lit up the night with a moment of brilliance after 34 minutes, controlling a pass with a slick first touch, bursting past two Italian defenders with a dazzling run, and drilling it in from the edge of the box. The first-half rout continued when another through ball from Martin Odegaard found an unmarked Erling Haaland, who rounded Italy keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to score Norway's third just before the break. The continued pouring rain cooled the match down in second-half with Norway coming closest with substitute Patrick Berg sending a screamer into the post just after the hour mark, but no more goals were scored.
