Erling Haaland scored five goals and provided an assist as Norway demolished Moldova 11–1 in a World Cup qualifier in Oslo. After the match, Moldova goalkeeper Cristian Avram revealed the details of his exchange with the Manchester City star.
What did Haaland say to Cristian Avram?
The 31-year-old Avram, who plays for Araz-Nakhchivan, admitted that the defeat was a brutal experience. “Haaland felt somewhat bad for us, but he played to score as much as possible because his team wants to win the group,” Avram told TV2.
At full-time, he recalled greeting Haaland in a moment of humility: “Hello, I’m Moldova’s goalkeeper, and I conceded 11 goals.” Avram said Haaland responded by telling him, “It’s not my fault,” before explaining that he had to keep pushing for goals because Norway needed the biggest possible goal difference. Avram added, “I understand him; it’s part of the game. He wanted to keep fighting.”
How did the match unfold?
Avram was beaten twice in the opening 11 minutes, and by halftime, Norway were already out of sight with five goals. Haaland not only scored a first-half hat-trick but also set up Aron Dønnum Myhre for the opener.
In the second half, Haaland added two more, while Glasgow Rangers forward Erik Asgaard came off the bench to score four times in just 25 minutes. The final scoreline was Norway’s biggest ever in a World Cup qualifier.
Why was Haaland’s performance historic?
Haaland’s five-goal haul marked his personal best for Norway and the most goals by a European player in a World Cup qualifying match since Austria’s Hans Krankl scored six in 1977.
For Moldova, the defeat was even more painful considering they had already lost 5–0 to Norway earlier in the campaign, with Avram’s teammate Celeadnic in goal on that occasion.
While the loss was heavy, Avram’s honesty and sportsmanship in recounting his conversation with Haaland highlighted the professionalism required at the highest level, even on the toughest nights.
By Yockshard Enyendi
