Norway 3-1 Wales: Haaland keeps quarter-final hopes alive

Erling Haaland's late penalty sealed a 3-1 win for Norway over Wales in Oslo on Saturday and kept alive their hopes of reaching the Nations League quarter-finals.

Norway took the lead in the second half through Antonio Nusa and Andreas Schjelderup, and although Wales were given hope when David Brooks reduced the deficit to one, Haaland's goal ended the visitors' quarter-final dreams.

Harry Wilson volleyed wide as early as the 2nd minute of the match at the Ullevaal Stadion. Norway tried to take control of the game, but Thelo Aasgaard and Torbjørn Heggem both failed to hit the target from corners. Wales continued to pose a threat with quick attacks, yet Dan James could not convert the clear chances his pace created and was unable to beat goalkeeper Egil Selvik at the near post in the final moments of the first half.

Having completed the first half without a shot on target, Norway began the second with far more energy. In the 59th minute Nusa found the ball in front of him from a corner the defence failed to clear and finished tidily to put his side 1-0 ahead. The hosts doubled their lead nine minutes after that goal: Norway built from the back and Schjelderup made the most of Haaland's pass to find the net from the right side of the penalty area.

Wales responded well to those goals and pulled one back in the 79th minute. Brooks played a one-two with Wilson, moved into the penalty area and made it 2-1 with a neat chip.

Norway were awarded a penalty in the closing minutes after Connor Roberts fouled Schjelderup in the area. Haaland made no mistake from the spot, making it 3-1 and settling the outcome of the match.

Norway, who had lost their last three Nations League matches, removed any possibility of finishing bottom of the group with this crucial win and carried their quarter-final hopes into their final match against Denmark. Haaland, who scored his 23rd Nations League goal, strengthened his position as the leading scorer in the competition's history, while Nusa was one of the architects of the win with his effective attacking display.