OSLO :Norway's Erling Haaland scored five goals and substitute Thelo Aasgaard added four more as they hammered hapless Moldova 11-1 to take another huge step towards qualifying for the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998.

With five games played, the Norwegians top Group I on 15 points, six ahead of second-placed Italy, who have a game in hand. Moldova's worst defeat leaves them bottom of the group with no points.

The group winners qualify automatically for next year's World Cup while the runners-up go into a playoff.

Haaland's beautiful cushioned pass teed up Felix Horn Myhre to break the deadlock with a sixth-minute tap-in, and Martin Odegaard should have made it two a minute later, but he blazed the ball over from close range.

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