Hegerberg hat-trick on Norway return, Sweden put 15 past Georgia

SANDEFJORD, Norway : Ada Hegerberg scored a hat-trick on her return to the national team for the first time since 2017 as Norway thumped Kosovo 5-1 in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday while Sweden humbled Georgia 15-0 in Tbilisi.

Despite the strong wind and driving snow, Hegerberg was given a warm welcome as she entered the pitch for Norway after an absence of 1,719 days, and within 21 minutes she had scored, heading home Caroline Graham Hansen's cross.

Two minutes later she was on target again, finishing with one touch as Julie Blakstad drove a low ball across the goal, and midfielder Frida Maanum netted a third before the break.

Norway conceded their first goal of the qualifying campaign when Ereleta Memeti scored early in the second half, but Hegerberg netted her third on the hour mark to delight the crowd of 4,759 that braved the bad weather to watch her return.

She was replaced by Celin Bizet Ildushoey in the 76th minute, and she slotted home the rebound from a Hansen penalty as Norway put in a performance that will have fans looking forward to Euro 2022 in July, where they will meet Northern Ireland, hosts England and Austria.

Norway top their World Cup qualifying group with 19 points from seven games, three ahead of Belgium.

Sweden showed no mercy in Georgia as 10 different players got on the scoresheet in a 15-goal thrashing of their hosts, with Filippa Angeldal netting a first-half hat-trick en route to an 11-0 halftime lead.

The Swedes, who top qualifying Group A on 18 points, meet second-placed Ireland in Gothenburg on Tuesday, and a point would send them to the finals in Australia and New Zealand.

On a good night for the Nordic nations, Iceland went top of Group C with a 5-0 win over Belarus that opened up a