Norway made light work of Kazakhstan as Erling Haaland's hat-trick inspired them to a 5-0 victory in the Nations League on Sunday.

Without absent captain Martin Odegaard, Norway were skippered by Haaland at Ullevaal Stadion, where the Manchester City forward netted his 25th career hat-trick.

Haaland took his total of international goals to 38 in 39 appearances by scoring twice in the first half before rounding off his star turn in the 71st minute.

The 24-year-old now has 22 goals in all competitions for club and country this season, and is the leading scorer in the Nations League with seven strikes to his name.

Alexander Sorloth scored Norway's third goal, while Antonio Nusa, who was heavily involved in both of Haaland's first-half efforts, got in on the act in the 76th minute.

Norway's victory ensured they finished top of Group B3 on 13 points, two ahead of Austria, therefore promoting Stale Solbakken's team to League A.

Martin Odegaard has pulled out of Norway's Nations League games against Slovenia and Kazakhstan.

Odegaard, who was injured while on international duty in September, only returned to action for Arsenal last week.

After coming on from the bench against Inter in the Champions League, the playmaker featured for the entire game as Arsenal drew 1-1 with Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday, and teed up Gabriel Martinelli's opener at Stamford Bridge.

Yet Odegaard will not play for his country in their matches over this international break.

"This has been a complicated ankle injury. With very few training sessions with the team [Arsenal] over the past nine weeks, it's natural that the body is not 100% at this stage," Norway's national team doctor Ola Sand said in a statement on Tuesday.

"After thorough examinations and conversations, we have agreed that Martin will not be ready to play in the matches against Slovenia and Kazakhstan.

"In consultation with him, we've agreed that it's better for him to return to London to continue his rehabilitation there."

Norway are top of their Nations League group, though they are level on points with Slovenia and Austria.

Erling Haaland endured a miserable outing as Norway captain, with his goal-scoring exploits powerless in his side's 5-1 defeat to Austria in their Nations League encounter.

Haaland, standing in for injured skipper Martin Odegaard, watched on as his side suffered a second-half collapse at the Raiffeisen Arena. 

The Manchester City striker became his nation's all-time top scorer with a brace in their 3-0 win over Slovenia, taking his total to 34 goals in 36 games, and threatened to add to that tally when he struck the post in the sixth minute.

However, a dominant start by the hosts was rewarded when Marko Arnautovic thundered his side in front in the eighth minute with a fierce effort off the crossbar. 

However, Norway found themselves level six minutes before half-time when Alexander Sorloth headed Julian Ryerson's free-kick beyond the on-rushing Patrick Pentz. 

Andreas Hanche-Olsen's foul on Christoph Baumgartner inside the box proved to be the beginning of the end for Norway, with Arnautovic stepping up to score the resulting penalty.

Austria increased their lead soon after through Philipp Lienhart's header, with Stefan Posch nodding the hosts 4-1 in front after being picked out at the back post by Marcel Sabitzer.

The rout was complete in the 71st minute, with Sabitzer again the architect, teeing up Michael Gregoritsch with yet another header to send Austria joint-top of Group B3. 

Erling Haaland became Norway's all-time leading scorer with a brace in their 3-0 victory over Slovenia.

The Manchester City striker was captaining his first nation for the first time, and marked the occasion in trademark record-breaking fashion.

Haaland broke the deadlock after just seven minutes of the Nations League clash at the Ullevaal Stadium, where Alexander Sorloth doubled the lead seven minutes after the restart.

Sorloth then turned provider just after the hour mark for Haaland, who broke Jorgen Juve's 87-year record with his 34th international goal in just 36 caps.

The result put Norway firmly in charge of Group B3 with seven points, three ahead of Austria and Slovenia, with Kazakhstan propping up the table on one point.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be open to returning to Manchester United as manager, admitting he "would say yes every day of the week" if the possibility arose.

Solskjaer was dismissed by the Red Devils in November 2021 after just under three years in charge at Old Trafford.

The Norwegian, who initially replaced Jose Mourinho on an interim basis in December 2018, led United to a second-place Premier League finish in the 2020-21 season, but a run of six defeats in 11 matches culminated in his departure.

Erik ten Hag - the man who permanently succeeded him at Old Trafford - has come under increasing pressure following a difficult start to this term, which has brought just three wins from the Red Devils' opening eight games.

And Solskjaer, who has worked as a technical observer for UEFA since leaving the club, refused to rule out a second stint in charge if called upon.

"If the family [United] asks, I would say yes every day of the week," he said during a Q&A at the Oslo Business Forum.

"It feels wrong to talk about jobs that other people have now, but I would say yes, of course."

With Norway coach Stale Solbakken expected to step down at the end of their 2026 World Cup campaign, Solskjaer admitted he would also be tempted by the opportunity to take charge of his nation.

"I am a proud Norwegian," he added. "Of course, if the question arises - when Stale decides to give up - I will happily engage in discussions."

Novak Djokovic marked his return to action with a dominant 6-0 6-1 victory over Greece's Ioannis Xilas to put Serbia in control of the Davis Cup tie. 

The 24-time major winner was playing his first match since his US Open third-round defeat by Alexei Popyrin at Flushing Meadows a fortnight ago.

And Djokovic, who helped his nation win the Davis Cup in 2010, looked close to his best as he dropped just a single game, while converting five of the seven break points he forced.

Wrapping up a dominant victory in just 45 minutes, he put Serbia 2-0 to the good in the World Group I tie.

Elsewhere in that group, Casper Ruud helped Norway wrap up a 3-1 win over Portugal.

The three-time major finalist, who put his nation 2-1 to the good alongside Viktor Durasovic in the doubles rubber, was a 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 victor over Jaime Faria in their singles clash.

Later in the day, Argentina booked their place in the final eight after Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni saw off Finland in the doubles decider.

Erling Haaland fluffed his lines as Norway were held to an underwhelming goalless draw by Kazakhstan in their Nations League opener.

Norway failed to secure promotion from League B in the last edition of the Nations League in 2022-23, and their attempt to escape Group B3 got off to a frustrating start in Almaty.

Haaland was the joint-leading goalscorer in the 2022-23 tournament (alongside Aleksandar Mitrovic) with six goals, but he was unable to find the target despite being presented with several good chances on Friday.

The Manchester City man sent a 24th-minute header spiralling over the crossbar, then dragged another effort wide from the edge of the six-yard box five minutes later.

Norway dominated possession as newly promoted Kazakhstan dug in to preserve their clean sheet after the break, and Haaland's best chance would come nine minutes after the restart.

However, the Premier League's leading scorer was unable to steer home from just a couple of yards out as Norway's winless run in competitive action stretched to three games.

Data Debrief: Contrasting fortunes for Premier League stars

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard was at the centre of everything good about Norway's performance, creating four chances for team-mates and registering the most passes in the final third (41) of every player on the pitch.

However, Norway found their main man Haaland out of form up top, the City star failing to score from four shots totalling 0.9 expected goals (xG) – a figure that represented almost half the overall total created by both teams (Kazakhstan 0.21, Norway 1.63). 

Stale Solbakken has announced he is likely to step down as Norway head coach when his contract expires after the 2026 World Cup campaign.

The former midfielder took over the national side in 2020 with the hopes of returning Norway to a major tournament. However, he has been unable to qualify for one despite having players like Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard among his ranks.

Norway finished third in their qualification group for Euro 2024, six points below Scotland, having only won three of their eight matches.

With the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico coming up in 2026, Solbakken's sights are set on playing on the world stage for the first time since France 1998, but he says his time with the national team will not extend beyond that if they do qualify.

"I'll take this qualification now and then there's a high probability that I'll do something else after that regardless," he told reporters on Monday, adding he will remain in charge if Norway qualify for the World Cup and step down after the finals.

"While I'm still young and virile, I want to do something else too - I've said no to a number of club jobs that really tempted me, but I'm determined to make one last attempt here, and then I think that's it.

"I really enjoy being with the boys, but there are far too few [international] matches. The last seven or eight months have been a nightmare with four friendly games, and the last two leading into the boys' summer holidays."

Solbakken was part of Norway's squad in 1998 when they reached the last 16, and at Euro 2000 in the Netherlands and Belgium, Norway's last appearance at a major finals, as they failed to make it out of the group. 

Qualification for the 2026 World Cup begins in either March or June 2025, depending on the upcoming Nations League results, with Norway starting their League B Group 3 campaign against Kazakhstan on Friday.

Erling Haaland got on the scoresheet but Norway lost 3-1 to Denmark as the latter concluded their Euro 2024 preparations in style.

Pierre-Emile Hojberg opened the scoring for the hosts in Brondby on Saturday, drilling home with a powerful right-footed effort in the 12th minute.

Defender Jannik Vestergaard added a second nine minutes later as he headed home Andreas Skov Olsen's teasing corner kick. 

Manchester City star Haaland thought he had halved the deficit in the 65th minute only to see his effort ruled out after a VAR review, but he did score seven minutes later, finishing from Martin Odegaard's intricate pick out. 

Yet the Danes would give their supporters the perfect send-off as they head to Germany, with Youseff Poulsen restoring their two-goal advantage in stoppage time.

Elsewhere, Denmark's Group C opponents Serbia also managed an impressive victory ahead of their meeting on June 25, securing a comfortable 3-0 win over Sweden in Stockholm. 

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic gave the Eagles an early advantage at the Friends Arena, with captain Aleksandr Mitrovic scoring his 58th international goal on the hour-mark. Dusan Tadic rounded off the scoring 10 minutes later with a fine finish beyond Robin Olsen. 

Serbia will face England, who lost to Iceland on Friday, in their opening match at Euro 2024.

Hungary also won by the same scoreline in Debrecen as a rampant 11-minute flurry was enough to secure a comfortable victory. 

Barnabas Varga teed up Roland Sallai for the opening goal of the game, and then scored twice in quick succession, first finishing from close range before Sallai turned provider for his team-mate to conclude the contest. 

Switzerland and Austria played out a 1-1 draw at the Kybunpark as Christoph Baumgartner saw his fifth-minute strike cancelled out by defender Silvan Widmer. 

Erling Haaland netted the 22nd hat-trick of his career for club and country as Norway eased to a 3-0 win over Kosovo in Wednesday's international friendly at Ullevaal Stadion.

The Manchester City striker, who was crowned the Premier League's top scorer in 2023-24 for the second season running, took just 15 minutes to get off the mark in Oslo.

Haaland headed home David Moller Wolfe's cross inside the six-yard box, before doubling his tally in the 70th minute with a clipped finish after being played through on goal.

The third and final goal arrived three minutes later as the prolific striker exchanged passes with Aron Donnum and fired home after Kosovo made a mess of cutting out the danger.

Haaland now has 30 goals in just 32 appearances for Norway, who face Denmark in their next friendly on Saturday.

Euro 2024-bound Denmark were themselves in friendly action on Wednesday as they earned a late 2-1 win over Sweden thanks to a late Christian Eriksen strike.

Eriksen netted via a dripping shot in the 86th minute at Parken Stadium after Alexander Isak had earlier cancelled out Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's opener.

Two-time World 200m champion Shericka Jackson will make her second appearance of the season when she takes part in the 200m at the Oslo Diamond League in Norway on May 30.

Jackson got her season off to a winning start with a 200m victory in Marrakech in 22.82 to maintain a winning streak of 16 finals that dates back to June 2022.

Having won Diamond Trophies in both the 100m and 200m last year, she’ll look to build on that opener in Oslo, where she will face USA’s Jenna Prandini, Anavia Battle and Brittany Brown, plus Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith and Daryll Neita, who won the 200m in Suzhou and 100m in Doha.

Dominican Republic’s world champion Marileidy Paulino will race against world bronze medallist Sada Williams and world indoor silver medallist Lieke Klaver in the 400m, while the men’s event features Grenada’s multiple Olympic and world medallist Kirani James, world silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith and home favourite Havard Bentdal Ingvaldsen.

Jamaica’s world bronze medallist Rushell Clayton leads the entries for the women’s 400m hurdles.

The men’s event will a treat for the fans as the three-time world champion Karsten Warholm contests the 400m hurdles for the first time since finishing second in the Diamond League final in Eugene in September.

He’s got some fierce competition as he faces Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, the world and Diamond League champion in 2022, who opened his own 400m hurdles season with a 46.86 win in Doha. Looking to challenge them both will be world silver medallist Kyron McMaster.

After setting a world record of 74.35m in Ramona in April, Mykolas Alekna won the discus clash in Marrakech, surpassing 70 metres again with a 70.70m throw to beat Australian record-holder Matthew Denny and Sweden’s Olympic and world champion Daniel Stahl.

That trio clash again in Oslo as part of a stacked field – one which also includes 2022 world gold medallist Kristjan Ceh, Andrius Gudzius, Fedrick Dacres and Lukas Weisshaidinger.

Arsenal midfielder Frida Maanum will not feature in Norway’s upcoming Euro 2025 qualifiers after collapsing in Sunday’s League Cup final win against Chelsea.

The 24-year-old collapsed off the ball in stoppage time and left the field on a stretcher before Arsenal clinched a 1-0 victory in extra-time.

The Gunners announced on Tuesday that Maanum was “doing well” and was being assessed by medical staff and on Wednesday added she will not be joining up with Norway’s squad.

A club statement read: “Frida Maanum will continue to be closely monitored by our medical team at Arsenal this week and will therefore not meet up with the Norwegian national team before their game on Friday.

“We are liaising closely with the Norwegian medical team. Frida is stable and doing well and we’ll share further updates as and when we receive them.”

Norway will launch their Euro qualifying campaign at home against Group A rivals Finland on Friday and play the Netherlands in Breda next Tuesday.

Sunday’s final at Molineux was halted for seven minutes as Maanum was treated by medics.

Arsenal later confirmed she did not lose consciousness and, after travelling back from Wolverhampton with the team, did not require hospital treatment.

Maanum was substituted before Stina Blackstenius’ 116th-minute goal saw Jonas Eidevall’s side lift the trophy for a second successive season.

Steve Clarke savoured the chance to celebrate Scotland’s Euro 2024 qualification with the Hampden crowd after his side rounded off their campaign with a “strange” 3-3 draw against Norway.

Scotland had qualified with two games to spare and finished second behind Spain in Group A after a second consecutive draw ensured they have only lost once in the section.

The players, including injured captain Andy Robertson, did a lap of honour afterwards to mark their achievement.

Clarke said: “It was nice – and nice for the supporters – to say thank you to the team, a nice night for the team and staff to thank the supporters.

“It’s always nice to qualify for a major tournament. Obviously the last one was Covid-restricted so we missed that connection and that feel with the fans.

“It’s great for everyone in the country that we have something to look forward to next summer.”

Clarke’s side twice came from behind in the first half through John McGinn’s penalty and an own goal before Stuart Armstrong netted a well-worked goal to out them in front just before the hour mark.

However, former Celtic winger Mohamed Elyounoussi came off the bench to head home in the 86th minute as Norway scored their third goal from a cross originating from right-back Julian Ryerson.

“It was a strange game,” Clarke said. “I need to go away and analyse it.

“What we have worked really hard at is being competitive, being a competitive team every time we go on to the pitch.

“That’s why I was a little bit disappointed with the first half, I didn’t think we were competitive enough. Much more competitive second half.

“We are Scotland, we have a certain way of playing, we like to play on the front foot.”

A two-goal win would have put Scotland in pot two for the December 2 draw, although they are arguably better off in pot three given they will now avoid the likes of the Netherlands, Italy and Croatia.

“I’m not bothered,” Clarke said. “I don’t know even know who else is in pot three and pot two. I’m sure I will find out when I get to Hamburg.”

Norway head coach Stale Solbakken felt his side should have been ahead at half-time but feels Scotland will pose problems in Germany.

“Overall we were the better team and should have won but it’s not easy, Scotland are always very well organised,” he added.

“They have a great coach and have very disciplined players who know their strengths and limitations. That’s very important – they play to their strengths and don’t pretend to be something else.

“They also have tournament experience so I think they can be a handful for everyone next summer. They also play two systems which is valuable.

“There will be no easy games for those teams who meet Scotland.”

Stale Solbakken admits it was a “big blow” to lose Erling Haaland for Sunday’s dead-rubber Euro 2024 qualifier against Scotland at Hampden – but the Norway manager is confident the Manchester City striker’s injury is not a serious one.

The free-scoring forward withdrew from the squad on Saturday morning after damaging his ankle in the second-half of Thursday’s 2-0 friendly win over Faroe Islands.

“It’s a big blow for any team but we have played without him before, sometimes with success, sometimes without,” said Solbakken, speaking at Hampden on Saturday evening.

“We started the qualification when he was not ready for the first two games, but after that he has played every single game so it was unfortunate for us that he got the small knock on Thursday.

“It’s the movement in his foot that is the problem but it’s not a serious injury. Had it been a final, I don’t know (if he would have been fit to play).

“All parties agree it is probably a little too early (for him to play) but it is not a career-threatening injury.”

When asked why Haaland – a talisman for club and country – was risked in such a low-key match, Solbakken said: “It was his choice. He wanted to play 45 minutes to keep the momentum in a week where we were maybe not training as much. It was his decision.

“There were three players who have played many games and we had conversations with all three of them and Erling’s much preferred choice was to play 45 minutes.”

Many anticipated Sunday’s match being a qualification decider but Scotland’s 2-1 win in Oslo in June, when they scored two goals in the closing minutes to overturn Haaland’s penalty, has proved pivotal.

The Scots are already assured of a place in the finals in Germany and are six points ahead of third-placed Norway, who have only a slim chance of landing a play-off if results elsewhere go their way.

“It was probably the sorest defeat you will ever feel,” said Solbakken, recalling Scotland’s late turnaround in the summer. “I still wake up at night thinking about those last five minutes but that is life.

“If you look back now, those five minutes were very, very damaging. Otherwise the game tomorrow would have been a final. That speaks volumes.

“But we must congratulate Scotland on a great campaign. They have done really, really well, not only in this campaign but also in the years before that.

“They’ve played at a very high level and have also been good at bringing the margins on their side in tight games, which is very important in national football when there are so few games.”

Unless they manage to salvage a Euro 2024 place via a play-off, Norway’s run without major tournament football will extend to 26 years. The Scots ended a 23-year wait when they qualified for the Euros in 2021 and Solbakken feels his nation can draw inspiration from Steve Clarke’s resurgent side.

“Of course we can,” he said. “I think we are quite even. We always play very tight games against each other but they have been better than us with the small margins lately. We need to see if we can find that way too.”

Erling Haaland is to sit out Norway’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Scotland on Sunday at Hampden Park due to a foot problem.

The Manchester City striker took a blow to his foot on Thursday when Norway beat the Faroe Islands 2-0 in a friendly in Oslo.

In a statement on the Norwegian Football Federation’s official website on Saturday, team doctor Ola Sand said: “The injury is not serious, but he is in so much pain and somewhat restricted function that the Scotland game unfortunately comes a little too early.”

Norway boss Stale Solbakken said: “It is of course a shame that Erling will not be ready for the match on Sunday, but we will not be bringing in a replacement.

“This is a great opportunity for the offensive players in the squad to show off.”

Premier League leaders City return to action after the international break by hosting Liverpool – a point behind in second place – on November 25.

Haaland, scorer of 52 goals for City in their treble-winning campaign last season, has netted 17 times in all competitions for Pep Guardiola’s men so far this term.