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Straits Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Norway dare to dream big again after a quarter century of heartbreak
Soccer Football - World Cup - European Qualifiers - Group I - Norway v Italy - Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway - June 6, 2025 Italy's Riccardo Orsolini in action with Norway's Antonio Nusa Lise Aserud/NTB via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NORWAY OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN NORWAY. Soccer Football - World Cup - European Qualifiers - Group I - Norway v Italy - Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway - June 6, 2025 Norway's Erling Haaland scores their third goal Cornelius Poppe/NTB via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NORWAY OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN NORWAY. Soccer Football - World Cup - European Qualifiers - Group I - Norway v Italy - Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway - June 6, 2025 Norway's Erling Haaland celebrates after the match Cornelius Poppe/NTB via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NORWAY OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN NORWAY. After a quarter of a century of near misses and heartbreak, Norway's rout of Italy in their World Cup qualifier has reignited the country's hope of a return to international football's biggest stage. There was little doubt that Norway were the better team on Friday as they easily dominated Italy in Oslo, pushing on until the scoreboard read 3-0 and taking a big step towards next year's World Cup. For supporters of the Norwegian team, the result has sparked a glimmer of hope in hearts that have been broken many times over the past decades. Norway have not participated in an international football tournament since the European Championship in 2000, which was hosted in Belgium and the Netherlands. There have been many close calls since then, with the margins consistently going against the squad, but now there is a shift in attitude after Norway dominated against the four-times world champions. "I am 100% sure", former Norway, Denmark and Iceland coach Age Hareide told newspaper VG when asked if Norway would go to the World Cup. SOLID STATISTICS Norway are in pole position in Group I with nine points out of nine and a goal surplus of 10. Israel, Estonia and Moldova are the other nations in the group. The Football Meets Data statistics platform gives Norway a 77% chance of winning the group and qualifying directly for the tournament hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Key striker Erling Haaland, who put himself on the scoresheet against Italy, agreed with the statistics. "We are too good not to play in championships. I will play both the World Cup and the European Championship. Not to put pressure on myself but I will," he told Norwegian broadcaster NRK. While World Cup fever in Norway is reaching a point not seen since 1998, when Norway last participated, manager Stale Solbakken, wise from experience, is lowering expectations. "It is a coach's misfortune that I have to concentrate on the next match, so you can enjoy yourselves and ask those questions. I would have liked to say that it was 100% certain but I can't," he told reporters after Friday's game. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Haaland scores again as Norway crushes Italy in World Cup qualifier and Croatia cruises
Norway's Alexander Sørloth celebrates scoring with teammates during the qualifying World Cup soccer match between Norway and Italy at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, Friday June 6, 2025. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP) Belgium's Maxim De Cuyper, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal during a World Cup 2026 group J qualifying soccer match between North Macedonia and Belgium at National Arena Todor Proeski in Skopje, North Macedonia, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski) Italy's Alessandro Bastoni, left, and Diego Coppola challenge Norway's Erling Braut Haaland during the qualifying World Cup soccer match between Norway and Italy at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, Friday June 6, 2025. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP) Norway's Erling Braut Haaland, right, celebrates scoring with Martin Ødegaard during the qualifying World Cup soccer match between Norway and Italy at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, Friday June 6, 2025. (Lise Åserud/NTB via AP) Norway's Antonio Nusa celebrates scoring during the qualifying World Cup soccer match between Norway and Italy at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, Friday June 6, 2025. (Lise Åserud/NTB via AP) Norway's Antonio Nusa celebrates scoring during the qualifying World Cup soccer match between Norway and Italy at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, Friday June 6, 2025. (Lise Åserud/NTB via AP) Norway's Alexander Sørloth celebrates scoring with teammates during the qualifying World Cup soccer match between Norway and Italy at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, Friday June 6, 2025. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP) Belgium's Maxim De Cuyper, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal during a World Cup 2026 group J qualifying soccer match between North Macedonia and Belgium at National Arena Todor Proeski in Skopje, North Macedonia, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski) Italy's Alessandro Bastoni, left, and Diego Coppola challenge Norway's Erling Braut Haaland during the qualifying World Cup soccer match between Norway and Italy at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, Friday June 6, 2025. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP) Norway's Erling Braut Haaland, right, celebrates scoring with Martin Ødegaard during the qualifying World Cup soccer match between Norway and Italy at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, Friday June 6, 2025. (Lise Åserud/NTB via AP) Norway's Antonio Nusa celebrates scoring during the qualifying World Cup soccer match between Norway and Italy at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, Friday June 6, 2025. (Lise Åserud/NTB via AP) Erling Haaland scored and Norway humbled Italy 3-0 for the first time in 25 years in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup on Friday. Haaland collected a through ball from playmaker Martin Odegaard and rounded goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the box for the third goal three minutes before halftime. Advertisement It was his 41st goal in his 42nd match for Norway to the delight of the spectators at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, including King Harald V of Norway. Haaland also scored when Moldova was beaten 5-0 and Israel 4-2. Norway remained perfect in qualifying after three games in Europe Group I. Striker Alexander Sorloth received a precise pass from Antonio Nusa then beat Donnarumma with a left foot shot. Nusa, the 20-year-old attacking midfielder, was a constant threat to the Italian defense. He left behind two defenders and doubled the advantage with a rising shot from inside the area. Italy was missing some regulars for its first qualifying match, while others failed to impress, including Mateo Retegui, the best Serie A scorer. Advertisement Defenders Alessandro Buongiorno and Mattia Gabbia, defensive midfielder Manuel Locatelli and forward Moise Kean were all injured while key center back Francesco Acerbi, who was meant to mark Haaland, turned down his callup. Diego Coppola played center back in the three-man defensive line used by coach Luciano Spalletti that was not able to stop Norway. Norway dominates, Italy in trouble In the other Group I game, Israel won in Estonia 3-1 for a second win and second place. The Azzurri are under pressure from the start of their qualifying after failing to reach the last two World Cups. Winning the group is the only way to ensure direct qualification to next year's tournament in North America. The second-placed team goes into the playoffs — the stage where Italy was eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia and ruled out of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively. Advertisement A four-time World Cup champion, the only other time Italy didn't qualify was for the 1958 edition. Italy hosts Moldova on Monday when Norway will be in action at Estonia. Croatia cruises, Belgium held Croatia opened its qualifying with a 7-0 rout of minnow Gibraltar. Mario Pašalić and Ante Budimir struck twice for Croatia within two minutes to break the deadlock after half an hour. In the second half, substitutes Andrek Kramaric and Franjo Ivanovis scored a couple each and Ivan Perisic piled on. Croatia was runner-up in the 2018 World Cup and third in 2022. In the same Group L, Adam Hložek and Patrik Schick each scored as the unbeaten Czech Republic beat Montenegro 2-0 for a third straight win. Advertisement Belgium was 1-0 up on a goal by defender Maxim De Cuyper but Ezgjan Alioski salvaged a draw for North Macedonia in a surprise in Group J. Wales tops the group with seven points from three games after a 3-0 victory over Liechtenstein. North Macedonia was two points behind. Europe to contribute a third of all teams Europe will have 16 teams in the expanded 48-team field for the World Cup. They will come from the winners of the 12 qualifying groups plus four from a playoff of the 12 group runners-up together with four best-ranked group winners in the Nations League that don't finish first or second in the qualifying. The group stage of European qualifying runs through November. ___ AP soccer:
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Clinical Norway hand Italy painful 3-0 defeat
Soccer Football - World Cup - European Qualifiers - Group I - Norway v Italy - Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway - June 6, 2025 Italy fans with flares in the stands Cornelius Poppe/NTB via REUTERS Soccer Football - World Cup - European Qualifiers - Group I - Norway v Italy - Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway - June 6, 2025 Norway's Alexander Sorloth celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates Cornelius Poppe/NTB via REUTERS 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. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
