Manchester City forward Erling Haaland took to the field for Norway against Moldova with visible stitches on his face. It was the aftermath of a freak accident that has attracted almost as much attention as his goal-scoring exploits. The 24-year-old striker revealed information on his injury on Snapchat.
He posted that he had sustained a cut under his lip after being struck by the door of Norway’s team bus. Posting a photo of the injury, Haaland joked: “Just got banged out by a bus door. stitches.” Norwegian outlet VG confirmed that the accident occurred as the team was unloading luggage outside their hotel in Oslo.
The door swung open unexpectedly and it injured his face. Witnesses reported the striker reacted in visible pain before team doctor Ola Sand and senior security adviser Geir Ellefsen provided immediate assistance. According to reports in Kursiv, Haaland later kept the mood light by blaming Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard in jest when a fan teased him about being punched.
Despite the bizarre incident, Haaland showed no signs of slowing down on the pitch. Days earlier, he scored the decisive penalty 1-0 win against Finland in Norway’s World Cup qualifiers. Against Moldova, he turned in a historic performance, netting five goals in one night.
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He also registered two assists in that staggering 11-1 win in World Cup qualifiers. The striker had a hat trick by halftime and continued to terrorize Moldova’s defense. Captain Odegaard assisted two of his goals. Felix Myhre and Thelo Aasgaard also found the scoresheet.
Aasgaars grabbed four goals of his own but was overshadowed by Haaland’s heroics. Even Moldova’s lone strike came courtesy of a Norwegian own goal by Leo Ostigard. The result equaled Norway’s biggest-ever margin of win in a competitive fixture. It was also one of the largest wins in European qualifying history.
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Norway remain perfect in Group I with five wins from five games. They’re sitting ahead of Italy, Israel, Estonia and Moldova. Haaland’s availability is good news for national coach Stale Solbakken as he prepares his side for a continued push toward World Cup qualification.
For Manchester City, his goalscoring form brings a mix of relief and amusement. The stitches only prove to be a cosmetic setback rather than a serious injury. Haaland is expected to recover quickly and return for Sunday’s Premier League Manchester derby against rivals Manchester United.
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