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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)
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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.

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Juventus Says It May Need More Cash, Secures $16 Million from the Agnellis

Juventus new head coach Igor Tudor prior the Italian Serie A soccer match between Juventus FC and Genoa CFC, in Juventus, Italy, 29 March 2025. (EPA)
Juventus new head coach Igor Tudor prior the Italian Serie A soccer match between Juventus FC and Genoa CFC, in Juventus, Italy, 29 March 2025. (EPA)
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Juventus Says It May Need More Cash, Secures $16 Million from the Agnellis

Juventus new head coach Igor Tudor prior the Italian Serie A soccer match between Juventus FC and Genoa CFC, in Juventus, Italy, 29 March 2025. (EPA)
Juventus new head coach Igor Tudor prior the Italian Serie A soccer match between Juventus FC and Genoa CFC, in Juventus, Italy, 29 March 2025. (EPA)

Juventus may need more money to steady its finances after parting ways with manager Thiago Motta, the Italian football club said, adding its top shareholder had agreed to provide 15 million euros ($16 million) ahead of a potential share issue.

Juventus, which has been controlled by the Agnelli family for a century, has been forced to raise around 900 million euros from its shareholders over the past six years.

Agnelli-owned Exor has agreed to make a 15-million-euro cash contribution against a potential future new share issue, the club said late on Friday.

Juventus this month replaced Motta with former player Igor Tudor after two consecutive heavy defeats in a disappointing season, with the club standing fifth in Serie A.

The club said recent performance on the field and Motta's departure had prompted it to reassess results for this quarter and next, as well as prospects for the 2025-2026 financial year.

Juventus' financial year runs from July 1 to June 30.

The club said overall targets under its plan through 2027 still stood, but the review had highlighted the potential need for a cash injection, ranging from 15 million euros to as much as 10% of its market value.

Juventus was worth 1.14 billion euros at Friday's closing price.

Exor could cover the cash call in full but would invest at least enough to keep its stake unchanged, Juventus said.

A final decision on the capital hike will be taken after the current season and the summer transfer campaign for players.

Juventus swung to a profit in the first half of this fiscal year, thanks to its return to Europe's lucrative Champions League competition, but it does not expect a net profit for the full year.

The club was docked 10 points in the 2022-23 season and banned from European competitions in 2023-24 after accounting issues. It denied any wrongdoing and said its accounting was in line with industry standards.