Erling Haaland delivered a stunning individual performance as Norway thrashed Moldova 11-1 in Oslo taking a major step toward qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Manchester City striker opened Norway’s account by assisting Felix Horn Myhre in the sixth minute.
He followed it with a remarkable first-half hat-trick within 32 minutes at Ullevaal Stadion.
Haaland added his fourth seven minutes into the second half and netted his fifth in the 83rd minute.
This feat took Haaland’s qualifying tally to nine goals, more than any other player so far.
Haaland who had previously scored five in a match twice for City, achieved the feat for the first time in Norway colors.
Two of his goals came from passes by Arsenal midfielder Martin Ødegaard, who also struck just before the interval.
Rangers midfielder Thelo Aasgaard came off the bench to complete a memorable night with four second-half goals.
Moldova found the net through a 74th-minute own goal by Leo Østigård but too little too late
Norway scored 11 goals in a match for the third time in their history, narrowly missing their all-time record 12-0 win over Finland in 1946.
The emphatic victory moved Ståle Solbakken’s side six points clear of Italy at the top of Group I.
Norway are unbeaten after five matches, are now on the brink of qualifying for their first World Cup in 27 years.
Their last major tournament appearance came at Euro 2000, while they featured at the 1998 World Cup in France.
Haaland has now scored 48 goals in 45 international appearances, including five hat-tricks.
Norway’s result also matched the record for the largest winning margin in European World Cup qualifying history, alongside Macedonia’s 11-1 victory over Liechtenstein in 1996.
Solbakken’s men face Israel and Estonia next, before a potential group-deciding clash away to Italy on November 16.
Only the group winners qualify automatically, while runners-up will have to navigate the play-offs.
