Erling Haaland needed to be held again by Gianluigi Donnarumma throughout a spat with Italy defender Gianluca Mancini – earlier than firing two objectives in as many minutes past his Manchester Metropolis team-mate.
Haaland led Norway to a powerful 4-1 victory over the Azzurri on the San Siro, serving to his aspect safe a flawless qualification to the World Cup for the primary time in 28 years.
The Norwegians got here into the tie atop their World Cup Qualifying group, figuring out that except they misplaced to Italy by 9 objectives, they might be all however house and dry for subsequent summer time’s match.
However Haaland and his team-mates booked their ticket to North America in fashionable vogue after going a purpose down, with strikes from the Man Metropolis man, Antonio Nusa and Jorgen Strand Larsen placing Italy to the sword.
It wasn’t all simple, although, with Donnarumma and his defenders maintaining the bloodthirsty Norway frontline at bay in a decent first 45 minutes.
And frustrations boiled over shortly earlier than half time when Haaland and Roma defender Mancini exchanged some heated phrases, prompting the 6ft 5in Italy stopper to intervene.
Erling Haaland was held again by Gianluigi Donnarumma throughout a spat with Gianluca Mancini
The Norwegian striker had been pissed off in a decent first half however scored a second half double
He bagged two objectives in as many minutes – leaving his Metropolis team-mate Donnarumma shocked
Nevertheless, the spat appeared to solely function motivation for the Metropolis striker who bagged two second half objectives, taking his complete for the qualifiers to a scarcely plausible 16 objectives in simply eight video games.
His first was an unstoppable strike into the roof of the online after latching onto an Oscar Bobb move. His second, lower than a minute later, was an in depth vary end that silenced the San Siro and left Donnarumma shocked as the large striker wheeled away with glee.
Whereas Italy knew they might by no means put 9 previous Norway, the character of their second half capitulation left their followers enraged – solely worsened by Wolves man Strand Larsen’s 93rd-minute sickener.
For Haaland, who’s the highest scorer for this iteration of the World Cup Qualifiers throughout all continents, he’ll observe in his father’s Alf Inge’s footsteps of main Norway out at a World Cup.
Italy, in the meantime, might be compelled to attempt their luck in a playoff match in the event that they need to make it to their first World Cup since 2014.
