Norway 6-0 Philippines: Haug nets hat-trick as Norway advance to last 16

Sophie Roman Haug scored a hat-trick as Norway claimed a convincing 6-0 victory over the Philippines at Eden Park to reach the last 16 of the Women’s World Cup.

Haug netted twice in the first half to put Hege Riise’s side in control before a spectacular drive from Caroline Graham Hansen made it 3-0 before the break.

Alicia Barker sliced the ball into her own net early in the second half to make it 4-0, Guro Reiten added a fifth from the penalty spot, while Sofia Harrison saw red for the Philippines before Haug completed her treble at the death.

The result meant Norway advanced at the expense of co-hosts New Zealand, who could only draw with Switzerland, while the Philippines exited their debut World Cup bottom of Group A.

The 1995 world champions had not scored at these finals but Haug got them off the mark brilliantly after only six minutes.

Thea Bjelde’s ball to the far post looked to have sent Haug too wide, but with sensational technique she angled a volley up and over goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel to give her side the perfect start.

Haug doubled Norway’s lead with her second after 17 minutes. Vilde Boe Risa’s high, reaching ball to the back post was met brilliantly by the Norway forward, who arched her header over Olivia McDaniel and into the corner of the goal for 2-0.

That put Norway ahead of the hosts – who were held goalless by the Swiss in Dunedin – and into a qualifying position in the group for the first time, but with a place in the last-16 still hanging in the balance, Riise’s side pressed for a third goal that would put their fate in their own hands.

Haug went close to her hat-trick after 23 minutes when her close-range header was directed low into the gloves of McDaniel, who was positioned well, but the Philippines were clinging on.

Minutes later, Hali Long cleared the ball off the line from Haug’s clever back-heel following good footwork from Graham Hansen to find room for a cross.

The goal that would mean Norway were not dependent on New Zealand’s result arrived just past the half-hour mark and it was Graham Hansen, left out of the side for the previous match against Switzerland, who scored it.

The Barcelona forward took a touch to win the ball in midfield, another to turn and – with her third – lashed it into the bottom corner with a sublime strike from 30 yards.

The fourth arrived moments after the restart as the ball sliced into the goal off the unfortunate defender Barker as she sought to cut out Frida Maanum’s low ball to the back post.

And the Philippines’ misery was confounded shortly afterwards when Jaclyn Sawicki tripped Reiten as she shaped to shoot, an on-field VAR check yielding a penalty from which the Chelsea forward made no mistake in scoring Norway’s fifth.

Harrison was sent off – midway through the second half – only 10 minutes after coming on as a substitute, another video check determining that she had used excessive force on Bjelde.

Graham Hansen went close to adding her second and Norway’s sixth with a delicate chip which just cleared McDaniel’s crossbar, before Haug struck in added time to become the second hat-trick scorer at these finals.