Haaland Shines as Norway Dominates Moldova in World Cup Qualifier
Erling Haaland delivered an outstanding performance, scoring five goals and providing two assists, as Norway defeated Moldova, moving closer to qualifying for their first World Cup in 27 years.
The Manchester City striker assisted Felix Horn Myhre within the first six minutes before netting three goals in just 32 minutes during the first half at Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo.
Haaland added his fourth goal seven minutes into the second half, and completed his remarkable tally with a fifth goal in the 83rd minute, bringing his total to nine goals in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, more than any other player.
The 25-year-old showcased his exceptional skills, achieving five goals in a single match for his national team for the first time, having accomplished the feat twice previously for Manchester City.
Two of Haaland's goals were assisted by Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard, who also scored before halftime. Additionally, Rangers midfielder Thelo Aasgaard came off the bench to contribute four goals in the second half.
Moldova managed to score a consolation goal in the 74th minute, thanks to an own goal by Leo Ostigard, but Norway's dominant performance marked their third instance of scoring 11 goals in a match, falling short of their record 12-0 victory over Finland in 1946. This win puts Norway six points clear at the top of Group I, ahead of Italy.
Norway has not participated in a major tournament since Euro 2000 and last appeared in the World Cup finals in 1998, meaning Haaland has yet to compete for his country at a major event.
With this performance, Haaland has now scored 48 goals in 45 matches for Norway, and this marks his fifth hat-trick.
Norway's victory also ties the record for the largest winning margin in a European World Cup qualifying match, equaling Macedonia's 11-1 win over Liechtenstein in the 1996 qualifiers.
Under the leadership of Stale Solbakken, Norway has won all five of their qualifying matches thus far, with upcoming fixtures against Israel and Estonia, followed by a potential decisive match against Italy on November 16.
Only the group winners are guaranteed a spot in next summer's tournament, which will take place in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, while the runners-up will enter the playoffs.