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New Delhi: Norway qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1998 with a 4-1 rout of Italy, pushing the four-time champions into the play-offs for the third successive campaign.
Norway completed their qualifying campaign with a perfect record of eight victories, six points above Italy, who failed to win in the play-offs in the last two edition to miss out on qualification to the tournament.
Italy needed to win by nine goals in Milan on Sunday due to Norway's superior goal difference and went ahead through Francesco Pio Esposito's close-range finish in the 10th minute mark.
The hosts came close to scoring several times in the first half but the table turned in after the break as Antonio Nusa equalised in the 63rd minute with a left-foot finish from inside the box.
From there on Norway wrested control and their star striker Erling Haaland put them ahead in the 78th minute as he was left unmarked to volley home with power and precision.
He then wrapped up the points a minute later, completing a brace to take his tally to 16 for the campaign.
Jorgen Strand Larsen then added gloss to the scoreline in added time for the visitors, to pile on the misery for Italy.
"We’ll find a solution. We want to reach the semi finals, push through to the final, and earn our place at the World Cup," Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso told Rai Sport after their victory.
"We first and foremost have to apologise to our fans, because 4-1 is a heavy result. It’s a pity, as the first half was very good, we were a
real team, but the biggest disappointment is that the second half was not up to those standards."
Norway ended 27 years of wait to be in the World Cup and Odegaard said for them the pary is starting now.
"It is indescribable. It is completely unreal. This is what we have dreamed of and worked for over such a long time. The way we have done it is incredible. It is huge," said Martin Odegaard to Norwegian TV 2.
"We have stood in so much rubbish, so many setbacks. To be here together in this moment means everything. We have had absolute belief and now we are getting the reward. We have fought through so much, and now we stand here with a perfect qualification. It is unreal."
