Haaland Leads Norway to Victory Over Estonia, Keeping Perfect Qualification Record Intact

Norway maintained their top spot in Group I, edging closer to their first FIFA World Cup appearance since 1998, following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Estonia.

After a resounding win against Italy, the Norwegians were expecting a confident performance. Yet, Estonia initially held their ground, matching their more illustrious rivals in a first 20 minutes that saw few chances for either team.

As the first half progressed, Norway began to assert their dominance but failed to capitalise on multiple opportunities before the break, with the usually prolific side struggling to find the back of the net despite creating numerous chances late in the half.

Sander Berge came closest for Ståle Solbakken’s team when his shot from the edge of the area whizzed past Karl Hein, grazing the outer edge of the post. Shortly after, Morten Thorsby made a surprise appearance in the box but was unable to secure his first international goal, mishitting a header wide.

Just before the half-time whistle, it was Erling Haaland—a more familiar name—who had a chance to score but his close-range shot was directed straight at Hein.

With only two home wins since the beginning of 2023, Jurgen Henn’s side faced a tough challenge in Tallinn. Yet, in a fleeting moment, they nearly found themselves in front.

After surviving a close call when Haaland’s header ricocheted off the post, Estonia retaliated with a shot of their own that rattled the crossbar, courtesy of Vlasiy Sinyavskiy’s powerful strike from the corner of the box. However, the tension broke as Norway finally found the net less than ten minutes later.

A fortunate deflection allowed Martin Ødegaard to send the ball through to Haaland. Although his initial attempt was blocked, the Manchester City striker was quick to react, tapping in the rebound with ease.

Despite Norway’s pressure throughout the match, Estonia rallied in the latter stages and nearly equalised when Maksim Paskotši’s deflected effort took a worrying trajectory towards goal, only to be denied by the inside of Orjan Nyland’s post. This miss marked the closest the Blueshirts came to snatching an improbable equaliser, leaving them in fourth place in Group I.