Italy 1-4 Norway: Haaland shows why Azzurri 2nd best

Federico Dimarco’s half-volley flashed wide as Esposito flicked on the Giovanni Di Lorenzo cross, but Italy took the lead soon after.

Dimarco pounced on a Julian Ryerson defensive error and rolled across for Esposito, who gathered with his back to goal, turned and fired in from seven yards. It was the Inter centre-forward’s third goal in five senior caps.

Esposito threatened a second on the night, his glancing header flashing wide from the Dimarco cross, and David Moller Wolf made a risky tackle on the ball through the back of the young striker.

Manuel Locatelli’s weak finish failed to trouble the goalkeeper, but Alexander Sorloth threatened by blasting just over from the edge of the box at the dawn of the second half and Sassuolo midfielder Kristian Thorstvedt’s cross skimmed the far post.

Norway were pushing in the second half and equalised when Antonio Nusa smashed a ferocious left-foot finish into the near top corner from just inside the box, with the aid of a deflection off Politano.

Gianluigi Donnarumma made a tricky save on Nusa’s volley at the back post on a corner, while Nyland did the same at the other end on the Esposito volley from Politano’s cross. Esposito threatened again moments later, his header flashing just wide.

Instead, Norway proved how clinical they have been throughout this World Cup qualifying campaign with two goals in the space of a minute.

First Haaland was left too much space for a sensational volley at the far post on Oscar Bobb’s cross, then Alessandro Bastoni gave it away to Genoa midfielder Morten Thorsby, who surged forward and rolled across for the Haaland tap-in.

Politano’s curler skimmed the far upright, and Gianluca Scamacca’s effort on the turn was charged down by Bologna defender Torbjorn Heggem.

With the last kick of the game, substitute Jorgen Strand Larsen took on Mancini and cut inside to bend a finish into the far bottom corner.

Norway won every single game in Group I with 37 goals scored and five conceded.

Italy 1-4 Norway

Esposito 11 (I), Nusa 63 (N), Haaland 78, 79 (N), Strand Larsen 93 (N)

16-11-2025 19:45 MatchDay 10 San Siro Stadium (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza)

Italy

Norway 1 - 4

Player statistic

1st half

Pio Esposito (Assist: Federico Dimarco)		11'
Nicolò Barella		45+3'

2nd half

		63'		Antonio Nusa (Assist: Alexander Sörloth)
Alessandro Bastoni		67'
Pio Esposito		69'
		69'		Erling Haaland
		78'		Erling Haaland (Assist: Oscar Bobb)
		79'		Erling Haaland (Assist: Morten Thorsby)
		90+3'

Jörgen Strand Larsen (Assist: Morten Thorsby)     90+3'

Jörgen Strand Larsen

Match statistic

58 Possession % 42 15 Total shots 13 4 Shots on target 5 6 Shots off target 8 5 Blocked shots 0 6 Corners 2 0 Offsides 0 15 Fouls 8 Italy Norway

Starting lineups

1

Gianluigi Donnarumma Goalkeeper 21

Alessandro Bastoni Defender 86' 3

Federico Dimarco Defender 23

Gianluca Mancini Defender 22

Giovanni Di Lorenzo Defender 15 Davide Frattesi Midfielder 68' 5

Manuel Locatelli Midfielder 79' 18

Nicolò Barella Midfielder 86' 18 Pio Esposito Attacker 79' 9

Mateo Retegui Attacker 7

Matteo Politano Attacker 1

Ørjan Nyland Goalkeeper 5 David Möller Wolfe Defender 89' 14

Julian Ryerson Defender 3

Kristoffer Ajer Defender 17 Torbjørn Heggem Defender 18

Kristian Thorstvedt Midfielder 75' 6

Patrick Berg Midfielder 64' 8

Sander Berge Midfielder 7

Alexander Sörloth Attacker 76' 20 Antonio Nusa Attacker 9

Erling Haaland Attacker

89'

Substitutes

19 Andrea Cambiaso Defender 13

Matteo Gabbia Defender 14

Guglielmo Vicario Goalkeeper 2

Raoul Bellanova Defender 10

Giacomo Raspadori Attacker 17

Riccardo Orsolini Attacker 12

Marco Carnesecchi Goalkeeper 16

Bryan Cristante Midfielder 68' 20

Mattia Zaccagni Attacker 79' 11

Gianluca Scamacca Attacker 79' 6

Samuele Ricci Midfielder 86' 4

Alessandro Buongiorno Defender 86' 16

Marcus Pedersen Defender 15 Fredrik Björkan Defender 10 Andreas Schjelderup Midfielder 23 Kristian Arnstad Midfielder 12 Mathias Dyngeland Goalkeeper 21 Sondre Langås Defender 13 Sander Tangvik Goalkeeper 2

Morten Thorsby Midfielder 64' 18

Thelo Aasgaard Midfielder 75' 22

Oscar Bobb Attacker 76' 4

Leo Östigard Defender 89' 11

Jörgen Strand Larsen Attacker

89'