Haaland scores but Norway loses to Scotland in Euro qualifying

Erling Haaland scored on his return to Norway and it wasn’t sufficient as Scotland got here again to win 2-1 on Saturday and hold an ideal document in qualifying for subsequent yr’s European Championship.

Haaland opened the scoring from the penalty spot within the 61st minute however when he was substituted, Scotland seized the lead with two targets in two minutes.

Haaland was introduced down by defender Ryan Porteous as they vied to fulfill an incoming cross from Alexander Sorloth. Haaland hit the ensuing penalty arduous into the underside left nook for his first purpose in six video games for membership and nation since his thirty fifth English Premier League purpose towards Everton on May 14.

Norway coach Stale Solbakken took off Haaland within the 84th and Scotland scored three minutes later. Defender Leo Skiri Ostigard tried to intercept a Scottish go however his contact was heavy and Lyndon Dykes hit the free ball previous goalkeeper Orjan Nyland. Two minutes after that, Scotland took the lead when Dykes handed for substitute Kenny McLean to attain his first Scotland purpose since 2019.

Defeat dealt a heavy blow to Norway’s probabilities of qualifying from Group A after the staff stumbled with one level from its first two video games when Haaland was injured in March. It was his first worldwide sport since September.

Scotland is the group chief with 9 factors because it goals to qualify for back-to-back European Championships for the primary time since 1996. Spain has three factors from two video games, together with a loss to Scotland, and didn’t play on Saturday. The different two groups, Cyprus and Georgia, performed late Saturday.

In different qualifying teams, Cristiano Ronaldo might play his 199th sport for Portugal towards Bosnia-Herzegovina and Belgium faces Austria.