Haaland's Hat-Trick Leads Norway to Dominant Victory Over Moldova

On September 9th, 2025, Norway's star striker Erling Haaland was in unstoppable form as his side thrashed Moldova 7-1 in a Group I clash. Haaland had already scored a first-half hat-trick by the 43rd minute and went on to net two more in the second half, stretching his remarkable international scoring record to 48 goals in 45 caps.

The match was a one-sided affair, with Rangers midfielder Thelo Aasgaard also scoring 4 goals after coming on as a substitute in the 64th minute. Norway's other scorers were Felix Horn Myre and captain Martin Odegaard. Moldova's lone goal came from an own goal by Norwegian defender Leo Ostigard.

In another key result, Cristiano Ronaldo equalled a World Cup qualifying goal record in Portugal's 3-2 victory over Hungary. The 40-year-old striker converted a 58th-minute penalty to take his tally in World Cup qualifiers to 39 goals, matching the mark set by Guatemala's Carlos Ruiz.

Portugal had fallen behind early but Bernardo Silva leveled the scores before Ronaldo's penalty put them ahead. Hungary equalized late on, but Joao Cancelo scored the winner to keep Portugal top of Group F after two games. Armenia also sprung a surprise, defeating the Republic of Ireland 2-1 in the group.