Odegaard Leads Norway To Victory, Maintaining Perfect Record In World Cup Qualifying

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Norway maintained their perfect start in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers with a 4-2 victory over Israel. Martin Odegaard played a crucial role, providing three assists, helping Norway continue their impressive attacking form. The team had previously secured a 5-0 win against Moldova. Odegaard's performance was instrumental as he assisted goals for David Moller Wolfe, Alexander Sorloth, and Erling Haaland.

Odegaard expressed that Norway's tactical approach has helped him regain his top form. "We have a lot of faith in what we are doing. We have developed a very good gameplan," he told Norwegian newspaper VG. He highlighted the team's offensive improvements, stating they can now score and create opportunities in various ways.

In the match against Israel, Norway attempted 23 shots with an expected goals (xG) value of 4.22. This was only slightly less than Czechia's 4.23 xG against Gibraltar on the same day. Odegaard created eight chances with an expected assists (xA) value of 1.08, marking the best single-game statistics in these qualifiers.

Despite Odegaard's struggles at Arsenal this season, where he has only four Premier League assists, teammate Sorloth remains confident in his abilities. "He's fantastic. Three assists speak for themselves," Sorloth said about Odegaard. Looking ahead to their next qualifier against Italy on June 6, Sorloth believes Norway should not fear their main Group I rivals.

Sorloth emphasized the strength of Norway's squad, saying that with the players they have, other teams respect them. He added that it's crucial for Norway to capitalize on their team's potential to succeed in upcoming matches.

Current Standings and Future Prospects

Norway currently leads Group I by three points over Estonia and Israel, while Italy has yet to play due to their Nations League commitments. The team's strong start gives them confidence as they prepare for future challenges in the qualifiers.

Their recent performances demonstrate Norway's capability to compete at a high level and maintain momentum throughout the qualification campaign. With key players like Odegaard and Sorloth contributing significantly, Norway aims to continue their successful run.