BELGRADE, SERBIA – JUNE 02: Erling Haaland of Norway celebrates after victory in the UEFA Nations League League B Group 4 match between Serbia and Norway at Stadion Rajko Mitić on June 02, 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)
Italy hopes that Norway would drop points or lower their goal difference in the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign fell away with a 5-0 victory over Israel, as Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick after missing a penalty twice.
Considering if two teams are level on points, the first dividing factor is overall goal difference, the odds of the Azzurri overturning that gap are extremely slim, so their best hope is for Norway to drop points.
That means Italy are almost certainly heading for the World Cup play-offs next year, having lost 3-0 in Oslo back in June under Luciano Spalletti.
There was a protest march outside the stadium before kick-off, with similar scenes expected when Israel face Italy in Udine on Tuesday evening.
It was an extraordinary start to the game, as Dan Biton’s foul prompted the referee to point to the spot after just four minutes.
Haaland stepped up and saw the penalty saved by Daniel Peretz, but VAR spotted the goalkeeper had his feet off the line and so it had to be retaken.
On this occasion too, Haaland was denied by a great one-handed save, frustrating Norway. It was the first time Haaland had failed to convert a spot-kick during a competitive match.
They did eventually break through when Antonio Nusa failed to get on the end of an Alexander Sorloth cross to the back post, it instead bounced in off Israel’s Anan Khalaili.
Orjan Nyland had saves to make too, twice in a row on Biton and Roy Revivo, but moments later Haaland’s delicate angled drive doubled the Norwegian lead on a Sorloth disguised pass.
Barely a minute had passed when the third goal arrived when Nusa robbed a player, his roll across for Haaland was intercepted, and in trying to clear it, Daniel Peretz kicked the ball against teammate Idan Nachmias, who scored an own goal before crashing back-first into the upright.
Haaland had to wait until the hour mark to double his tally with a header from eight yards, then completing his hat-trick with a header from the tightest of angles at the far stick, both on crosses from the very impressive Nusa.
That treble means the Manchester City striker has now scored a ridiculous 51 goals in 46 senior caps for Norway.
Norway 5-0 Israel
Khalaili og 18 (N), Haaland 27, 63, 72 (N), Nachmias og 29 (N)
Saved penalty: Haaland 6 (N)
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