**Erling Haaland Registers Historic Half-Century: Decoding His International Goal Stats**
*By Rajdeep Saha | Oct 12, 2025, 01:33 AM*
Erling Haaland delivered a spectacular performance as Norway thrashed Israel 5-0 in a crucial UEFA World Cup Qualifiers Group I match at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo. Despite the game being overshadowed by pro-Palestinian protests and heightened security, Norway’s commanding victory puts them on the brink of qualifying for their first World Cup since 1998.
### Match Highlights
The match began dramatically, with Haaland missing two penalties inside the first five minutes, both saved by Israel goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. However, Haaland quickly made amends. After an own goal from Israel’s A. Khalaili put Norway ahead, Haaland scored a right-footed finish to double the lead.
Norway’s dominance continued as Israel defender Idan Nachmias contributed another own goal, making it 3-0. Haaland then added his second goal with a towering header and capped his hat-trick by nodding in a perfect cross from Antonio Nusa at the back post.
### Haaland’s Goal-Scoring Mastery
This match was particularly momentous for Haaland, who surpassed 50 international goals, reaching an extraordinary tally of 51 goals in just 46 appearances for Norway across all competitions. His prolific form continued throughout 2025, where he netted 13 goals in only 7 matches.
The hat-trick marked Haaland’s sixth for his country—making him just four shy of the international hat-trick record currently jointly held by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Impressively, his opening goal extended his scoring streak to 10 consecutive matches across club and country. So far this season, Haaland has found the net in 11 out of 12 appearances for Manchester City and Norway combined.
### Norway’s Road to World Cup Qualification
With the resounding win, Norway now sit nine points clear of second-placed Italy in Group I, though Italy have two games in hand. The victory puts Norway on the cusp of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
If Norway secure a win in their upcoming qualifier against Estonia on November 13, they will officially book their spot in the tournament, ending a 28-year World Cup drought.
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Erling Haaland’s remarkable goal-scoring feats and Norway’s impressive form have ignited hopes for a strong showing on football’s biggest stage come 2026. Fans worldwide will be watching closely as this young superstar continues to break records and lead his nation toward historic success.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/sports/world-cup-qualifiers-haaland-shines-with-hat-trick-for-norway/story
