Erling Haaland endured a surprising few minutes in Oslo as he missed two consecutive penalties during Norway’s World Cup qualifier against Israel on Saturday.
The Manchester City striker, wearing the captain’s armband, had the chance to give his side an early lead after Patrick Berg was fouled in the box just three minutes into the game.
Known for his clinical finishing, Haaland stepped up confidently but saw his first effort saved by Israel goalkeeper Daniel Peretz.
The referee ordered a retake after Peretz was judged to have moved off his line too soon. In a shocking twist, Haaland missed again as Peretz dived to his right to deny the Norwegian talisman for a second time, marking an uncharacteristic lapse for a player who had converted 52 of his previous 60 penalties.
Redemption through ruthless finishing
Despite the double miss, Haaland quickly redeemed himself. After an early own goal handed Norway the lead, he found the net in the 27th minute with a finish into the bottom corner to make it 2–0.
The 25-year-old then struck twice more in the second half, completing his hat-trick within nine minutes to seal a commanding victory for Ståle Solbakken’s men.
The treble extended
Haaland’s extraordinary scoring run to 10 consecutive matches for club and country, during which he has netted 19 goals, including five against Moldova in September and several doubles in the Premier League.
Norway on verge of World Cup return
The win keeps Norway firmly in control of Group A, nine points clear of Italy and closing in on a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
They’ve now won all six of their qualifiers, boasting 18 points and a +26 goal difference.
Having never featured at a World Cup, Haaland looks set to finally grace football’s biggest stage as Norway’s qualification appears all but sealed.
