Erling Haaland looks determined to make up for lost time.
The Norway striker scored five goals to power Manchester City into the quarterfinals of the FA Cup in a 6-2 win against Luton on Tuesday.
It was his eighth hat trick in a season-and-a-half with City and the second time he has scored five in a single game for the club.
Perhaps more significantly, it was evidence that Haaland is fully back up to speed after recently returning from a foot injury that ruled him out for more than a month between December and January.
“My fitness is getting back to its best finally,” he said. “I feel good. It’s an amazing feeling.”
Haaland had scored only three goals in seven appearances since making his comeback on Jan. 31.
By his remarkable standards, that represented a relative drought, but he looked back to his devastating best at Kenilworth Road with a first-half hat trick and two more after the break. Four of those goals came from assists by Kevin De Bruyne, who has also missed large parts of the season through injury.
“It’s a pleasure playing with him,” Haaland said. “I think we know what we both want from each other, we look at each other and it clicks well.”
Mateo Kovacic added a sixth for City, while Jordan Clark struck twice for Luton.
Haaland was denied a possible double hat trick when he was replaced by Julian Alvarez in the 77th minute. It was the second time City manager Pep Guardiola substituted the striker after scoring five goals, having taken him off during the 7-0 rout of RB Leipzig in the Champions League last year.
Haaland now has 27 goals in all competitions for the season after scoring 52 in his first year at the club.
His performance and linkup play with De Bruyne will also fuel the belief City can emulate last season’s treble of trophies when it won the Premier League title, FA Cup and Champions League.
“We’re coming. Exciting times (are) ahead,” Haaland said.
The forward completed his hat trick after 40 minutes, having opened the scoring in the third and adding a second in the 18th.
Clark pulled one back for Luton in the 45th and made it 3-2 with another seven minutes after halftime.
But Haaland quickly extended City’s lead with further goals in the 55th and 58th.
Kovacic completed the scoring with a long range effort in the 72nd.
Haaland scores five goals in Man City’s 6-2 rout of Luton in the FA Cup
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Haaland scores five goals in Man City’s 6-2 rout of Luton in the FA Cup
- Haaland now has 27 goals in all competitions for the season after scoring 52 in his first year at the club
Arsenal hoist first Women’s Champions Cup in thrilling win over Corinthians
- Foord beat goalkeeper Lele at her near post in the 104th minute to earn a dramatic winner over the Copa Libertadores champions in front of a crowd that included FIFA president Gianni Infantino
- As the winners of FIFA’s new intercontinental tournament featuring champions from all six confederations, Arsenal will collect a $2.3 million prize
LONDON: Arsenal’s Caitlin Foord struck in extra time to power them to victory in the inaugural Women’s Champions Cup on Sunday, defeating Brazil’s Corinthians 3-2 in a rain-soaked final at the Emirates Stadium.
Reigning Champions League winners Arsenal looked set to seal the title in normal time, leading 2-1 before Vic Albuquerque converted a 96th-minute penalty to force extra time.
Olivia Smith and Lotte Wubben-Moy also scored for Renee Slegers’ team before Foord beat goalkeeper Lele at her near post in the 104th minute to earn a dramatic winner over the Copa Libertadores champions in front of a crowd that included FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
“It’s not often that at Arsenal you can write history because history has been written so many times,” Wubben-Moy told Sky Sports.
“We stand on the shoulders of giants. To come to this inaugural competition and win it and do it with all of our fans here in style — — our fans are wonderful and that’s who we do it for.
“To win the first silverware this year is a big leap forward. We want more. Stick with us, 2026 has more to come.”
As the winners of FIFA’s new intercontinental tournament featuring champions from all six confederations, Arsenal will collect a $2.3 million prize.
The one negative on the night was Arsenal’s goalkeeper Anneke Borbe being carried off on a stretcher following a collision with teammate Wubben-Moy late in extra time.
The timing of the tournament favored Arsenal, who are in the midst of their Women’s Super League season, while Corinthians are in their pre-season and CONCACAF Champions Cup winners Gotham FC are in their off-season.
Arsenal had thrashed Moroccan champions AS FAR 6-0 in Wednesday’s semifinals, while Corinthians had edged Gotham, of the National Women’s Soccer League, 1-0 in the other semis.
Gotham secured third place with a 4-0 win against AS FAR earlier on Sunday.
