Islamabad, June 10, 2025: Norway made their position in Group I in Estonia vs Norway as they win 1-0 against Estoniain in Tallinn, strengthening hopes of their first FIFA World Cup appearance since 1998.
A win over Italy a day earlier, Norway entered the match with momentum, but Estonia held their own during the opening exchanges. The first 20 minutes lacked real threat at either end, with the hosts matching their stronger opponents in terms of energy and organization.
As the first half of Estonia vs Norway progressed, Norway took control but failed to make their dominance count. Despite being Europe’s most prolific team in this qualifying phase, the visitors missed several clear chances. Sander Berge came closest when his low strike skimmed past the post, while Morten Thorsby missed a rare chance with a misplaced header. Moments before the break, Erling Haaland was denied by Karl Hein, who saved his close-range attempt.
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Estonia, with just two home wins since early 2023, nearly shocked Norway when Vlasiy Sinyavskiy’s powerful drive rattled the crossbar. But the breakthrough soon arrived. A fortunate deflection allowed Martin Odegaard to find Haaland inside the box. The striker’s initial shot was blocked, but he made no mistake with the rebound, tapping in what proved to be the winner.
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Although Norway maintained control for most of the contest, Estonia came close to an equaliser late on. Maksim Paskotsi’s deflected effort struck the inside of the post, causing panic in the Norwegian box. Despite their spirited finish, the home side couldn’t find a leveller and fell to fourth in the group standings.
For Norway, the result keeps them at the top of Group I with a perfect record, edging them closer to a long-awaited return to football’s grandest stage.
