Haaland Hits Five as Norway Crush Moldova 11-1 in World Cup Qualifier

Published: 10 September 2025 | The English Chronicle Online

Erling Haaland delivered a record-breaking performance in Oslo on Tuesday night as Norway demolished Moldova 11-1, moving within touching distance of their first World Cup appearance in 27 years. The Manchester City striker scored five goals and created two more in a sensational individual display that lit up Ullevaal Stadion.

The tone was set early when Haaland turned provider for Felix Horn Myhre after just six minutes. From then on, the floodgates opened. Haaland struck three times in a blistering 32-minute spell before half-time, showcasing his trademark pace, power and precision. Arsenal’s Martin Ødegaard twice set him up before scoring one of his own to give the Norwegians a commanding lead at the interval.

Norway’s dominance only intensified after the restart. Haaland’s fourth arrived seven minutes into the second half, and by the 83rd minute he had completed his five-goal haul, cementing his place as the top scorer in the 2026 qualifiers with nine goals. Remarkably, this was the first time he had scored five in a single game for his country, having previously done so twice in Manchester City colours.

The night belonged to Haaland, but it also marked a breakthrough for Rangers midfielder Thelo Aasgaard, who came off the bench to net four goals in a stunning second-half cameo. Moldova managed a consolation when Leo Østigård inadvertently put through his own net in the 74th minute, but it scarcely dented the scoreline as Norway equalled the record for the biggest winning margin in European World Cup qualifying history.

The 11-1 rout matched North Macedonia’s victory over Liechtenstein in 1996, while falling just short of Norway’s own all-time best — a 12-0 win against Finland in 1946. For Ståle Solbakken’s side, it was also the third time in their history they had scored 11 in a single match, underlining their growing confidence as Group I leaders.

With five wins from five, Norway now sit six points clear of Italy, who remain their biggest rivals for automatic qualification. Only the group winners advance directly to the 2026 finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States, while the runners-up must negotiate the play-offs. Norway’s next fixtures, against Israel and Estonia, will set up a potential showdown with Italy on 16 November that could decide their fate.

For Haaland, the performance further reinforced his legendary status. He now has 48 goals in just 45 appearances for Norway, alongside five international hat-tricks, and stands on the brink of leading his nation to their first major tournament since Euro 2000 and their first World Cup since 1998. For a country long starved of footballing success, Tuesday night felt like the start of something historic.