Haaland's Norway Clinch World Cup Spot with Thrilling 4-1 Victory over Italy

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In a dominant display, Norway secured their first World Cup spot since 1998 with a resounding 4-1 win over Italy on Sunday. Erling Haaland was instrumental in the victory, scoring a crucial brace in the space of seconds at a rain-soaked San Siro. The Manchester City striker's clinical finishing sealed the deal for Norway, who completed Group I with a perfect 24 points from their eight qualifying matches. Haaland's impressive form this season has seen him average over a goal per game for both club and country, making him one of the top players to watch in next summer's World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The 25-year-old's goal-scoring streak continued with his 16th strike during qualifying, cementing his status as a key player for Norway. Italy, on the other hand, will have to rely on the play-offs in March after finishing six points behind Norway. The Azzurri's bid for direct qualification was dealt a severe blow in their opening match against Norway, a 3-0 defeat that ended Luciano Spalletti's tenure as coach. Despite Gennaro Gattuso's efforts to turn the team around, Italy failed to match Norway's level of performance, ultimately succumbing to a 4-1 defeat. The loss marks another disappointing World Cup qualifying campaign for Italy, who have now missed the last two tournaments after suffering humiliating defeats in the play-offs to Sweden and North Macedonia. The team's inability to replicate the success of their European champions' status in 2021 will be a concern for fans, who will be hoping for a turnaround in the team's fortunes under Gattuso's leadership.