عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Haaland Helps Norway Start its World Cup Qualifying Campaign with 5-0 Rout

Norway's Erling Haaland controls the ball during a Group I, World Cup qualifier soccer match between Moldova and Norway at the Zimbru stadium in Chisinau, Moldova, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurel Obreja)
Norway's Erling Haaland controls the ball during a Group I, World Cup qualifier soccer match between Moldova and Norway at the Zimbru stadium in Chisinau, Moldova, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurel Obreja)
TT
TT

Haaland Helps Norway Start its World Cup Qualifying Campaign with 5-0 Rout

Norway's Erling Haaland controls the ball during a Group I, World Cup qualifier soccer match between Moldova and Norway at the Zimbru stadium in Chisinau, Moldova, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurel Obreja)
Norway's Erling Haaland controls the ball during a Group I, World Cup qualifier soccer match between Moldova and Norway at the Zimbru stadium in Chisinau, Moldova, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Aurel Obreja)

Erling Haaland helped Norway make a positive start to its World Cup qualifying campaign by scoring in a 5-0 rout at Moldova on Saturday.
Norway's third and last World Cup appearance was back in 1998, two years before Haaland was born, The Associated Press reported.
Now, Haaland leads a team featuring Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard that bears high expectations of reaching the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The Scandinavian side is favored to win Group I, which also saw Israel beat Estonia 2-1 in the opening round.
Haaland scored Norway’s second goal against the outmatched Moldova. That took his exceptional career haul to 39 goals in 40 appearances for his country since his 2019 debut.
Dortmund defender Julian Ryerson opened the scoring for Norway five minutes after kickoff in Chisinau. Haaland doubled the lead in the 23rd. Thelo Aasgaard, who assisted Ryerson for the opener, made it three before Odegaard set up Alexander Sorloth before halftime. Substitute Aron Donnum got on the scoreboard in the second half.
Haaland already knows what it is to win the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup with Manchester City, but he has yet to take his country to a major tournament. Injury ruled Haaland out of several matches during Norway’s unsuccessful qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup. The talented Norway team likewise failed to qualify for the 2024 European Championship when it disappointed with a third-place group finish behind Spain and Scotland.
Wales wins Wales beat Kazakhstan 3-1 in Cardiff as the British team seeks a second straight World Cup appearance. Also in Group J, North Macedonia won 3-0 at Liechtenstein.
Czech Republic’s Patrik Schick scored twice in a 2-1 win over Faroe Islands in Group L, where Montenegro fought back for a 3-1 win over Gibraltar.
Europe to send 16 teams Europe will have 16 teams in the expanded 48-team field for next year's World Cup in North America.
They will come from the winners of the 12 qualifying groups plus four from a playoff of the group runners-up.
The group stage of European qualifying runs through November.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

Tearful Norris Takes F1 Title as Verstappen Wins Abu Dhabi Race

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain reacts after becoming a world champion after the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP)
McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain reacts after becoming a world champion after the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP)
TT
TT

Tearful Norris Takes F1 Title as Verstappen Wins Abu Dhabi Race

McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain reacts after becoming a world champion after the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP)
McLaren driver Lando Norris of Britain reacts after becoming a world champion after the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP)

McLaren's Lando Norris sobbed tears of joy and relief as he won the Formula One championship for the first time and ended Max Verstappen's four-year reign with a nervy third place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.

Red Bull's Verstappen, who ended the campaign with more wins (eight) than any driver, triumphed in the season-ender with McLaren's Oscar Piastri second and 12.5 seconds behind at the chequered flag.

Norris, Britain's 11th Formula One world champion, took his points tally to 423 with Verstappen on 421 and Piastri third with 410.

McLaren, who secured the constructors' championship in October for the second year in a row, won both titles in the same season for the first time since 1998.

"I've not cried in a while. I didn't think I would cry but I did," said an emotional Norris in a post-race interview, after also shedding tears inside his helmet.

"It feels amazing. I now know what Max feels like a little bit.

"I want to congratulate Max and Oscar, my two biggest competitors the whole season. It's been a pleasure to race against both of them. It's been an honor, I've learned a lot from both," he added.

Norris's mother Cisca gave Piastri a consoling hug while both Verstappen and the Australian congratulated the new champion in a show of sportsmanship.

The victory denied Verstappen the achievement of five titles in a row, something only Ferrari great Michael Schumacher has managed so far.

Charles Leclerc finished fourth in Sunday's race for Ferrari with George Russell fifth for Mercedes and Fernando Alonso sixth for Aston Martin.

Esteban Ocon was seventh for Haas, ahead of Ferrari's seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton -- who failed to stand on the podium all year in a career low for the 40-year-old who joined the Italian team this year from Mercedes.

Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg was ninth in the German's 250th race and Lance Stroll 10th for Aston Martin.

Sports

Chelsea’s Maresca Says Delap Shoulder Injury Looks Bad

Football - Premier League - Leeds United v Chelsea - Elland Road, Leeds, Britain - December 3, 2025 Chelsea's Liam Delap on the pitch before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Leeds United v Chelsea - Elland Road, Leeds, Britain - December 3, 2025 Chelsea's Liam Delap on the pitch before the match. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Chelsea’s Maresca Says Delap Shoulder Injury Looks Bad

Football - Premier League - Leeds United v Chelsea - Elland Road, Leeds, Britain - December 3, 2025 Chelsea's Liam Delap on the pitch before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Leeds United v Chelsea - Elland Road, Leeds, Britain - December 3, 2025 Chelsea's Liam Delap on the pitch before the match. (Reuters)

Chelsea forward Liam Delap may face another spell on the sidelines with a shoulder injury after being forced off in the first half of Saturday’s 0-0 Premier League draw at Bournemouth, manager Enzo Maresca said.

Delap, who moved to Stamford Bridge from Ipswich Town in June, had also picked up a hamstring injury early on in the season and returned to the side only last month.

"He has been unlucky. We are also a bit unlucky because we need that kind of a No. 9," Maresca told reporters after the match.

"Unfortunately, he has already been out for two months and he has to be out again. We don't know for how long, but it looks quite bad, his shoulder."

Chelsea, who played to their first goalless draw since a home clash with Crystal Palace in August, were left in fourth place in the league table with 25 points from their 15 games.

"I think it was a game where we lacked and we missed a little bit of quality in the last third," Maresca said.

"For me, there were many mistakes. We missed some passes in the last third, some moments that we could shoot and didn’t."

Chelsea will next face Atalanta in a Champions League clash on Tuesday before hosting Everton on Saturday.

Sports

Gyokeres Urges Arsenal to Bounce Back After Villa End Unbeaten Run

Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Arsenal - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - December 6, 2025 Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres in action with Aston Villa's Ian Maatsen. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Arsenal - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - December 6, 2025 Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres in action with Aston Villa's Ian Maatsen. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Gyokeres Urges Arsenal to Bounce Back After Villa End Unbeaten Run

Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Arsenal - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - December 6, 2025 Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres in action with Aston Villa's Ian Maatsen. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Arsenal - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - December 6, 2025 Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres in action with Aston Villa's Ian Maatsen. (Reuters)

Arsenal forward Viktor Gyokeres said the Premier League leaders must quickly move on from Saturday’s disappointing 1-2 defeat at Aston Villa after a 95th-minute winner from Emiliano Buendia ended their 18-match unbeaten run.

The win, the ninth for Villa in their last 10 games, allowed them to close the gap on top of the table, putting pressure on Mikel Arteta's Arsenal.

“It's football. If you score in the last few seconds or minutes, that is an unbelievable feeling, so it goes both ways,” Gyokeres said, according to Arsenal's website.

"Today, unfortunately, it was the other way. It's tough, but you learn from it.

“You can always find some positives, but it's still a very difficult way to lose a football game."

While Arsenal still maintain their pole position after Saturday's games, Pep Guardiola's Manchester City are now just two behind after their 3-0 win over Sunderland and Villa trail the leaders by three points.

“We are of course disappointed with the result," the Swedish striker said.

“It's not a great feeling right now, but it's only December and there are a lot of games to play.

“If we focus on what we can control and do in our favor and focus on the next game, we'll be better."

Arsenal will next face Club Brugge in a Champions League game on Wednesday, before hosting Wolverhampton Wanderers next Sunday.