Norway 2 - 0 Malta : Tettey and Soderlund score to make sure Norway keep their Euro 2016 hopes alive
Posted Wednesday, October 14, 2015 by PA
Norway must wait for the outcome of Croatia's Saturday night meeting with Bulgaria to see if they have done enough to qualify for Euro 2016.
Goals in either half from Alexander Tettey and Alexander Soderlund boosted Per-Mathias Hogmo's men to a 2-0 victory over Group H also-rans Malta in Oslo.
Norway are five points clear of third-placed Croatia and will be assured of a place at next summer's European Championship in France if Bulgaria can beat their Zagreb hosts, or hold them to a draw.
Italy downed Azerbaijan 3-1 to qualify for the tournament and Norway will challenge them for top spot in the group when the nations meet in Rome on Tuesday.
Norway took control from the off and almost scored through Even Hovland's header in the fifth minute.
They grabbed their first goal almost 20 minutes into the game, Tettey getting his outstretched leg to Hovland's saved shot while Andrew Hogg was still sprawling.
Per Ciljan Skjelbred, Soderlund and Jo Inge Berget - the latter going closest with a snapshot that Hogg did well to parry - almost doubled the lead before the break.
Alfred Effiong might have equalised ahead of half-time but Orjan Nyland managed to tip his left-footed drive over the bar.
Norway went 2-0 up in the 52nd minute as Soderlund stroked home Markus Henriksen's clever pass from the left.
The Rosenborg striker went perilously close to completing a brace in the 74th minute but he scooped over.
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