Ipswich Town forward Sindre Walle Egeli scored a hat-trick for Norway's Under-21 side to secure their qualification for the European Championship. The 20-year-old was instrumental in a 6-1 victory over Bosnia & Herzegovina in Stavanger on Tuesday, ensuring his nation topped their group with a match remaining.
Egeli's three goals took his tally to eight in seven qualifiers and ten in 14 caps at this level. The emphatic win was a fitting climax to a long campaign. "It’s a really cool day," Egeli said. "It’s a huge achievement to qualify. We’ve been working towards it for a very long time."
He also has one senior cap for Norway and his prolific form is a bright spot for Ipswich, who sit 11th in the Premier League with six points from five games. The club's recent form has been mixed, with their last result a 1-0 defeat at Everton, but Egeli's international success provides a positive narrative.
Other international action
Elsewhere during the break, Abdul Fatawu won his 34th cap for Ghana, playing the full 90 minutes in a 4-2 loss to Gambia. A planned friendly between Ghana and Morocco was cancelled due to unpaid bonuses. Anis Mehmeti, who scored for Ipswich against Arsenal, started for Albania in their Nations League tie in San Marino, picking up his seventh cap as he searches for his first international goal.
For Egeli and his Norwegian teammates, the focus now shifts to next summer's finals. "It’s going to be huge," he added. "It’s incredibly exciting, especially with these boys and this manager. It’s going to be great." Ipswich will hope he carries that confidence into the Premier League, with the next fixture a home game against 19th-placed Fulham on October 10. Check the full schedule on our fixtures list.
The original report is at TWTD
