March 23, (THEWILL) – Norway commenced their World Cup qualification campaign with an emphatic 5-0 triumph over Moldova at Stadionul Zimbru, propelling them to the top of Group I. The comprehensive victory demonstrated their attacking capabilities from the outset of the competition.
Julian Ryerson opened the scoring in the fifth minute before Manchester City forward Erling Haaland doubled the advantage.
The Norwegian onslaught continued with Thelo Aasgaard adding a third, followed by Alexander Sorloth converting from Martin Odegaard’s setup to establish a commanding 4-0 lead by half-time.
The second half maintained Norway’s dominance with Aron Donnum extending the margin to five goals.
The result represents an excellent start for Stale Solbakken’s squad, who displayed clinical finishing throughout the encounter against their overmatched opponents.
Despite possessing considerable attacking talent including Haaland and Arsenal captain Odegaard, Norway failed to qualify for Euro 2024.
However, with an expanded 48-team format for the 2026 World Cup, qualification prospects appear significantly improved for a nation that has not participated in a major tournament since 2000.
The performance will boost confidence within the Norwegian camp as they continue their qualification journey.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
