Sindre Walle Egeli netted for Norway’s U21s for the second time in five days, while George Hirst was an unused sub as Scotland secured qualification for the World Cup and Marcelino Nunez helped Chile to a friendly win against Peru.

Walle Egeli, who had scored and won two penalties in Friday’s 3-0 victory over Israel, netted this afternoon’s only goal from a free-kick as Norway’s U21s beat Bosnia & Herzegovina 1-0 in Sarajevo to remain top of their Euro 2027 qualification group. The forward was winning his 10th U21s cap and the goal his fifth at the level.

Hirst remained on the bench throughout as Scotland beat 10-man Denmark 4-2 at Hampden Park, remarkably netting twice in injury time to grab the win they needed to top the group and reach a World Cup finals for the first time since 1998.

Town last had a player at a World Cup with Scotland in 1982 when John Wark, Alan Brazil and George Burley were all in the party which travelled to Spain.

Nunez started and won his 33rd Chile cap as his side beat Peru 2-1 in their second Russia-based friendly in Sochi. The midfielder had been an unused sub in the 2-0 victory over Russia on Saturday.

Striker Ali Al-Hamadi, who is on loan at Luton for the season, missed the second leg of Iraq’s AFC World Cup qualification play-off against the UAE having picked up an injury in the first match in which he scored.

Having drawn the away game 1-1, the Iraqis netted a penalty in the 17th minute of injury time in the second leg in Basra to win 2-1 on the day and 3-2 on aggregate to secure an intercontinental play-off place.

Also going into a play-off are Aro Muric’s Kosovo having drawn their final group qualifier 1-1 with Switzerland in Pristina to confirm second place. The keeper, on loan at Serie A Sassuolo for the season, was making his 41st international appearance.

Midfielder Ryan Carr came on as a 65th-minute sub to win his second Scotland U21s cap as his side beat Bulgaria 1-0 at Fir Park, Motherwell in a Euro 2027 qualifier. Blues keeper Woody Williamson was left out of the matchday squad, despite having been added to the party last week along with his Blues teammate.

Forward Josh Pitts won his fifth Malta U21s cap, playing the first 64 minutes in a 1-0 defeat to Latvia in Ta' Qali leaving them bottom of their Euro 2027 group without a point.

Another Blues U21s attacker Rio Oudnie-Morgan was not included in the Northern Ireland U21s squad which lost 4-0 in Greece in their Euro 2027 qualifier.

Recently signed central defender Oliver Wilkinson started and won his second England U17s cap as the Young Lions were held to a 1-1 draw by Australia in their third and final friendly in Dubai. Wilkinson, 16, joined Town last month from Barnsley.

Photo: MARIUS SIMENSEN/Bildbyran/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect

WhoisJimmyJuan added 22:15 - Nov 18 If George Hirst or Sindre Walle Egelli play at next years World Cup, it will continue the pattern of us having a player at a World Cup in alternate years going back to 1986: Butcher 86, Guentchev 94, Holland 02, Tommy Smith 10 and Knudsen 18.
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WeWereZombies added 22:25 - Nov 18 Didn't Boncho Genchev play in the 1994 World Cup finals (right up to the semis) whilst a Town player ?
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WhoisJimmyJuan added 22:43 - Nov 18 Yes. Scored in a penalty shoot out at some stage as I recall?
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StNeotsBlue added 01:19 - Nov 19 Tommy Smith played in the World Cup in 2010 as a Town player.
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WilmslowBlue added 06:27 - Nov 19 GH can’t be a shoo-in for the Scotland squad, but qualification has to give him an extra incentive to impress between now and the rest of the season.
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Nutkins_Return added 08:25 - Nov 19 Seems Walle Egeli goal went down as OG
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PortmanTerrorist added 10:17 - Nov 19 Frankly most pleased that Taylor and Hirst felt the elation of those late wins....without putting another 90 minutes in their legs ahead of a tough/congested run of games. Better still, both are pivotal to us and now have the carrot of playing World Cup football.....but only IF they have productive enough seasons with us, as it is correctly commented here that they are not certain to go esp Hirst at 4th choice ST behind even Dyckes for goodness sake. Would suggest if they do, we will most likely be promoted!

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Berts_chin added 17:28 - Nov 19 Anybody know what position Egeli was playing?
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armchaircritic59 added 18:51 - Nov 19 All I can say is if GH is 4th in the Scotland pecking order behind Lyndon Dykes, Clarke has seen a hell of a lot more in Dykes, than I've ever seen. That would be all the incentive I would need to have a good rest of the season here if I was GH!
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Zonny added 21:10 - Nov 19 He didnt score on Tuesday, for Norway U21 it was an own goal
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