World Cup 2026 Qualifying Roundup: Norway Sink Estonia To Close In On Finals

Alexander Sørloth and Erling Haaland some scored doubly successful Norway’s 4-1 location triumph against Estonia connected Thursday that put them connected nan verge of qualifying for nan World Cup for nan first clip since 1998.

Norway person each but secured a spot astatine adjacent year’s tourney successful North America arsenic they clasp a six-point lead complete second-placed Italy, who play Moldova later connected Thursday, successful Group I. Italy request to hit some Moldova and Norway successful their remaining 2 qualifiers and overturn a 19-goal shortage to leapfrog nan Norwegians and snatch nan automatic qualifying spot.

The visitors initially denied nan hosts nan abstraction and hit they person truthful often exploited during this qualification campaign. Oscar Bobb missed nan champion chance to put Norway up erstwhile he struck nan woodwork pinch a debased transverse conscionable earlier half-time. The location crowd, expecting a comfortable lead, made their vexation clear, greeting nan whistle pinch large boos arsenic nan players headed towards nan dressing room.

Five minutes aft nan restart, large cheers erupted astir nan stadium aft Sander Berge swung successful a transverse successful beforehand of nan container that Sørloth headed successful to break nan deadlock. Barely 2 minutes later, Sørloth guided a 2nd header home.

From past connected location was nary stopping Norway. The Estonian defence fell apart, and different driven transverse recovered Haaland, who powered successful yet different header to springiness Norway a 3-0 lead successful nan 56th minute. Haaland added different successful nan 62nd infinitesimal earlier Robi Saarma pulled 1 backmost for Estonia conscionable 2 minutes later.

Nigeria overcame nan distraction of a onslaught complete money to hit Gabon 4-1 successful their World Cup African qualifying playoff semi-final successful Rabat, but they needed other clip earlier moving retired comfortable winners.

The striker Akor Adams snapped up a shallow backmost walk from Gabon’s defender Aaron Appindangoyé and caught nan goalkeeper Loyce Mbaba measurement retired of his extremity for an easy tap-in for Nigeria’s opening extremity successful nan 78th minute. But Mario Lemina snatched an 89th-minute equaliser to return nan crippled into an further 30 minutes.

A extremity from Chidera Ejuke and 2 from Victor Osimhen made judge of Nigeria’s advancement to nan last successful nan Moroccan superior connected Sunday, wherever they will return connected either Cameroon aliases nan Democratic Republic of Congo, who meet successful nan 2nd semi-final later connected Thursday.

Nigeria’s preparations earlier this week were curtailed arsenic their players refused to train until money promised them antecedently was paid, a business resolved connected Wednesday.

This communicative will beryllium updated