Norway triumphs with an impressive 11-1 victory!
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It was a remarkable night for Norway and Erling Haaland on Tuesday. The team achieved a staggering 11-1 victory over Moldova at the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo, with Haaland netting five goals at the 11th, 36th, 43rd, 52nd, and 83rd minutes. The other goals for Norway came from Felix Horn Myhre (6’), Martin Ødegaard (45’), and Theo Aasgaard, who scored four times (67’, 76’, 79’, and 91’). Moldova’s solitary goal was an own goal by Norwegian player Leo Østigard in the 74th minute.
This sole goal from Moldova meant that Norway missed out on matching the record for the second-highest victory in European World Cup qualifying history. According to the Transfermarkt database, the record for the highest win dates back to 1969 when West Germany defeated Cyprus 12-0. Norway’s victory ties for second place with Hungary’s 11-1 win over Greece in 1938 (prior to UEFA’s establishment) and Macedonia’s 11-1 victory against Liechtenstein in 1996.
How does this win compare to similar results worldwide? Outside of Europe, such massive victories are not uncommon. The largest win ever recorded in World Cup qualification was Australia’s staggering 31-0 win against American Samoa in 2001 during the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Despite this feat, Australia failed to qualify for the tournament in Korea and Japan. Iran has also had notable victories, securing three places in the top ten, including a 19-0 triumph over Guam in 2000, a 17-0 win against the Maldives in 1997, and a 14-0 victory over Cambodia in 2019.
Haaland’s Historic Performance: Closing in on Krankl’s Record
What does this performance mean for Haaland? The Manchester City striker was phenomenal against Moldova, scoring five goals and providing two assists. He has now achieved a remarkable total of 48 goals in 44 appearances for Norway. The five goals scored against Moldova are the second-highest by a European player in World Cup qualifying, trailing only Hans Krankl, who scored six goals in Austria’s 9-0 victory over Malta in 1977. In the global rankings, Krankl holds the 11th position while Haaland is in 10th. The top spot is held by Australian forward Archie Thompson, who scored a stunning 13 goals in the mentioned 31-0 win over Samoa.
