Cyprus After four consecutive matches of silence in the Premier League, striker Erling Haaland scored again, with a double to help Norway win 4-0 at Cyprus in the sixth round of Group A of the Euro 2024 qualifiers.
* Goals: Alexander Sorloth 33', Haaland 65' & 72', Fredrik Aursnes 81'
At AEK ARENA on the evening of October 12, Haaland started and then gave way to Jorgen Strand Larsen from the 77th minute. During his time on the field, the Man City superstar touched the ball 17 times, passed 80% accurately with one key pass, won three aerial duels, shot five times with three on target and scored two goals.
In the 65th minute, midfielder Fredrik Aursnes took a corner kick towards Haaland at the far post. The 23-year-old striker controlled the ball for a moment and then volleyed with his left foot into the top corner of goalkeeper Joel Mall's net. He completed his double in the 72nd minute with a close-range header from a cross from substitute Antonio Nusa.
Haaland (right) celebrates with his teammates after making it 3-0 for Norway in their 4-0 win over hosts Cyprus in Group A of the Euro 2024 qualifiers. Photo: X / @nff_landslag
These were Haaland's fifth and sixth goals in Euro 2024 qualifying, level with Denmark's Rasmus Hojlund and Scotland's Scott McTominay. Belgium's Romelu Lukaku currently leads the way with eight goals.
Haaland's brace against Cyprus also ended a four-match goal drought in the Premier League. The Norwegian striker has eight goals in his first eight games, but his last goal was when he made it 2-0 in the 14th minute of the win over Nottingham Forest on September 23. Haaland has yet to score in his opening two Champions League games.
This form is in contrast to Haaland's 52 goals in 53 matches in all competitions last season, helping Man City win a historic treble of the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
Norway dominated yesterday with 73% possession, 22 shots with nine on target, while hosts Cyprus only had two shots off target.
In the 33rd minute, Sorloth's one-touch shot from outside the box hit a Cypriot player and changed direction into the net, opening the score. After two goals from Haaland, Norway sealed the 4-0 victory in the 81st minute with a close-range shot from Aursnes.
However, the three points from this match did not help Norway improve their position. Haaland and his teammates are still third in Group A with 10 points, two points behind Spain and five points behind Scotland. Norway will move up to second if they beat Spain in the next match at home at Ullevaal Stadion on October 15.
Line-up :
Cyprus : Mall, Gogic, Kyprianou, Karo, Correia, Andreou, Kousoulos (Gavriel 78), Charalampous (Pileas 60), Kyriakou (Spoljaric 54), Kakoulis (Elia 54), Kastanos (Correa 78).
Norway : Nyland, Ostigard, Ajer, Meling, Ryerson, Berge, Aursnes (Finne 88), Odegaard (Thorstvedt 77), Haaland (Larsen 77), Solbakken (Bobb 63), Sorloth (Nusa 63).
Hong Duy
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