Solbakken is celebrated: The demonstration of power in Slovenia opens the WC road to the USA
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Ståle Solbakken hit everything, and not just gave the party night in Slovenia three points in the Nations League. It can also mean a lot for Norway’s road to the WC in 2026.
https://vglive.vg.no/kamp/slovenia-norge/641659/rapport
– This was a powerful performance from Ståle Solbakken.
That’s what TV 2’s football expert Jesper Mathisen says just after the end of the match in Slovenia.
Because Norway fell together in the 2nd round in the 1-5 collapse against Austria (1-1) at the break, Ståle Solbakken took a successful catch halfway in Ljubljana. That changed the 2-1 lead to 4–1 victory in the end, and both players and experts paid tribute to the national team manager.
– A good tactical assessment, says Alexander Sørloth.
The power forward took the role of wing in the 2nd round after Solbakken switched from 4–4–2 to 4–5–1 halfway through.
– Alex had a rough second round on the edge, and so did Nusa on the other edge. (Morten) Thorsby and (Kristian) Thorstvedt had good runs. So it was good, assesses national team manager Ståle Solbakken himself.
Erling Braut Haaland also shared excitement about the national team manager’s move.
– The little things he changed worked. Today we must pay tribute to Ståle, says national team captain Erling Braut Haaland when he meets the press after the match:
– You are very good offensively on a difficult track. All in all, this was a superb performance, Solbakken continues.
Before Thursday’s match in Slovenia, it wasn’t just a potential group win in the Nations League that was at stake. For the victory against Slovenia also means that Norway is almost guaranteed to end up in seeding pool toseeding pool toNest top ranking level until the draw of the groups in the WC qualification in the draw for the WC qualification until 2026.
The difference in ending up in seeding group two or three can be big. Norway wants to get a top nation in the qualifying group anyway, but they rule out the supposedly second-best. Eight of these eleven nations participated in the German EC this summer.
Norway guarantees a place among the second-seeded teams with victory against Kazakhstan at Ullevaal on Sunday. Slovenia is out of the race to catch up with Norway in the rankings after the 4-1 match in Ljubljana.
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In fact, Norway can be ready for the second pool as early as Friday. Scotland is the only nation that can now prevent Norway from entering this pot, and the Scots meet Croatia on Friday.
If Scotland lose it, Norway has secured second seeding to qualify for the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico in two years’ time.
The WC qualification will be played through the calendar year 2025.
https://vglive.vg.no/turnering/uefa-nations-league/187/tabell?stageName=League+B%2C+Group+3
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