Erling Haaland scores five as Norway rout Moldova 11-1; Haaland apologises to goalkeeper Cristian Avram

Erling Haaland scored five as Norway thrashed Moldova 11-1 in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday, and Moldova goalkeeper Cristian Avram said the Manchester City forward personally apologised after the rout.

Haaland’s five-goal haul was part of an 11-goal onslaught that left Moldova shell-shocked and bottom of Group I. Haaland, who has scored 48 goals in 45 international appearances for Norway, was seen repeatedly retrieving the ball from his own net as Norway continued to press even after establishing a wide lead.

Avram, who conceded all 11 goals, said Haaland came over to offer a brief apology and to explain that Norway needed to continue pushing for goal difference. "He said it wasn’t my fault," Avram said after the match. "He was apologising to me for rushing after every goal. He said they had to keep going because of the goal difference."

Haaland’s goals were supplemented by strikes from Felix Horn Myhre, Martin Ødegaard and Thelo Aasgaard, the latter scoring four after coming on as a substitute. Norway’s emphatic victory moved them to the top of Group I with a goal difference that, according to reports from the match, is 16 better than Italy’s.

The result leaves Norway six points clear of Italy with each side having played five of eight scheduled qualifiers. A first-place finish in the group would clinch an automatic place at the 2026 World Cup; runners-up would face a playoff route.

Moldova sit bottom of the group with zero points and a minus-22 goal difference following their heaviest defeat in history. The scoreline surpassed Moldova’s previous record loss, an 8-0 reverse to Denmark in 2018.

Moldova manager Serghei Clescenco publicly laid blame at his players’ feet after the match, castigating them and ending his post-match appearance early. "It's a shame for us. I don't have much more to say. Each player has their own answer," Clescenco said before leaving the press conference. "They say they haven't slept well and that we play too complicated. The players can say a lot, they all answer differently, but they don't answer what I ask. That's all I have to say."

In a contrasting mood, Haaland described the night as "great" and "historic," acknowledging his prolific scoring rate for his country. "I completely agree. It was a great game," he said. "We fought until the end. It was a historic night."

Norway’s approach on the night underlined the importance of goal difference in the tightly contested group. With four qualifying fixtures remaining, the margin Norway have built could prove decisive if the group title is contested closely with Italy and Israel, who remain in contention.

Moldova’s heavy defeat raises questions about their preparation and defensive organisation across the qualifying campaign. Avram’s public account of Haaland’s apology offered a rare moment of sportsmanship amid a demoralising evening for the visitors.

As Norway build toward a potential first World Cup appearance since 1998, the result also reinforced Haaland’s status as the focal point of their attack and as one of international football’s most prolific scorers. Moldova now face the task of regrouping and addressing both personnel and tactical shortcomings if they are to salvage any results from the remaining fixtures in Group I.