Erling Haaland delivered a masterclass in finishing as Norway demolished Moldova 11-1 in Oslo, taking a giant step toward qualifying for their first World Cup in nearly three decades.
The Manchester City striker scored five goals and provided two assists in a breathtaking display at Ullevaal Stadion. Haaland teed up Felix Horn Myhre’s opener after six minutes before netting a rapid-fire hat-trick inside 32 minutes. He added a fourth just after the break and sealed his fifth in the 83rd minute, extending his tally in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers to nine — more than any other player.
Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard orchestrated much of the play, supplying two assists for Haaland and scoring Norway’s fifth himself. Thelo Aasgaard made a stunning impact from the bench, hitting four second-half goals. Moldova’s only reply came via a Leo Østigård own goal on 74 minutes.
The emphatic victory equalled the record margin for a European World Cup qualifier, matching Macedonia’s 11-1 win over Liechtenstein in 1996. It also marked the third time in Norway’s history they have scored 11 in a match, just shy of their all-time record 12-0 win against Finland in 1946.
Haaland, 25, has now scored 48 goals in 45 appearances for his country, registering his fifth international hat-trick. Despite his extraordinary club success, he has never featured at a major tournament for Norway, who last appeared at the World Cup in 1998 and Euro 2000.
Ståle Solbakken’s side sit six points clear of Italy at the top of Group I after five wins from five. With fixtures against Israel and Estonia to come, the group could be decided in their final match away to Italy on 16 November. Only the group winners qualify directly, with runners-up facing play-offs.
