Haaland fires five as Norway crush Moldova in FIFA World Cup qualifier

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OSLO: Erling Haaland produced a stellar performance with five goals and two assists as Norway thrashed Moldova 11-1 in a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier on Tuesday, extending their unbeaten run.

Norwegians have strengthened their grip on the top spot in their group with 15 points, winning five out of five. Italy is the second-placed team in Group I with six points behind Haaland’s team. Moldova’s worst defeat has dropped them to the bottom of the group with no points. The group winners will qualify for next year’s World Cup, while the runners-up to compete in a playoff.

Haaland delivered a stellar performance with goals in the 11th, 36th, 43rd, 52nd and 83rd minutes and also provided two assists for Felix Horn Myhre and Thelo Aasgaard, marking one of the most dominant displays of his international career.

Haaland set up Horn Myhre, who scored in the sixth minute to open the scoring for Norway. It did not take long for Haaland, who doubled the lead five minutes later, capitalising on a loose ball in the box and sweeping it into the far corner.

Haaland continued to dominate the opposition. He completed his hat-trick in the 36th minute when Moldova keeper Cristian Avram forced him to go wide, he simply recovered the ball and made it 4-0. Martin Odegaard chipped in with a goal in the first-half stoppage time, and seven minutes later, Haaland struck again to make it 6-0, scoring his fourth of the night. Substitute Aasgaard also took part in the party and scored twice, either side of an own goal by Leo Ostigard, and scored his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 79th four minutes before Haaland added a 10th, his ninth goal in five World Cup qualifiers. Aasgaard added a fourth to his tally in the stoppage time and extended the lead to 10.