Norway delivered a statement win, defeating Italy 3-0 in Oslo to open their UEFA World Cup qualifying campaign with a shock result that leaves the four-time world champions reeling.
Alexander Sørloth opened the scoring for Norway in the 14th minute, finishing a swift counterattack set up by Antonio Nusa. Nusa then doubled the lead in the 34th minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse from Italy. Just before halftime, Erling Haaland put the match out of reach with a clinical strike assisted by Martin Ødegaard, sending the Ullevaal crowd into celebration.
Italy, fielding a mix of veterans and new faces, struggled to create clear chances and failed to recover after conceding early. The loss marks a disappointing start for the Azzurri, who now sit at the bottom of their qualifying group with zero points, while Norway tops the table with three wins from three matches.
This result raises serious questions for Italy’s campaign and highlights Norway’s growing status as a contender in European football. All eyes will be on how both teams respond in their next qualifiers.
