Norway have all but qualified for a first World Cup in 28 years as doubles from Erling Haaland and Alexander Sorloth sealed a comfortable win against Estonia.
A seventh win out of seven in qualifying has them sat top of Group I, six points ahead of Italy in second place and 19 goals better off.
If the Italians fail to beat Moldova later on Thursday it will seal Norway’s place at the 2026 World Cup.
However, even if Italy win, they are unlikely to overhaul Norway’s significantly better goal difference with one game remaining.
For a while in this game it seemed that Norway were in danger of not getting the win they needed as they failed to take the chances they had in the first half.
But Sorloth got the breakthrough early in the second period with a header, then nodded in another goal moments later.
Manchester City striker Haaland then scored his first of the evening when he headed in Julian Ryerson’s cross and fired in a second seven minutes later to put the result beyond doubt.
Robi Saarma’s driven effort pulled one back for Estonia but it was nothing more than a consolation as Norway put themselves on the verge of a first World Cup appearance since 1998.
