Erling Haaland Injury Concern as Norway Lose to Portugal in Nations League

Erling Haaland has given Manchester City a fresh reason for concern after limping off during Norway’s 2-1 defeat to Portugal in the Nations League on Sunday.

The striker started the Group A4 clash in Porto but was unable to complete the match, being replaced in the 67th minute. The incident will now be closely monitored by Manchester City, particularly with the Premier League set to resume after the international break. 

Haaland forced off against Portugal

Haaland was substituted midway through the second half after appearing to be struggling physically. Norway replaced their star forward with Jørgen Strand Larsen as Portugal continued to push for a winner.

At the time of his departure, the match was still level at 1-1. Norway had taken the lead through Kristoffer Ajer before João Cancelo produced an excellent finish to bring Portugal back into the game. 

There has been no confirmed diagnosis or indication yet of how serious Haaland’s issue is, meaning Manchester City will have to wait for further medical assessment.

Portugal complete comeback

Norway started brightly and moved ahead in the 36th minute when Ajer found the net with a spectacular effort from outside the box.

Portugal responded almost immediately. Just two minutes later, Cancelo fired home an impressive equaliser to restore parity before half-time. 

The hosts eventually completed the comeback when Gonçalo Ramos scored with 11 minutes remaining, securing another victory for the Nations League holders.

The result means Portugal have won all four of their matches in Group A4 and have already guaranteed their place in the quarter-finals. 

Manchester City will be watching closely

Haaland’s early departure will naturally be a concern for Manchester City, with the Norwegian playing a central role in the club’s attack.

The timing is particularly important because City are preparing to return to Premier League action following the international break. Any significant injury to their leading striker could have a major impact on their plans.

For now, however, there is no confirmed information on the severity of Haaland’s problem. Further medical examinations should provide a clearer picture of whether he will be available for City’s next fixture.

Norway suffer another setback

While Portugal celebrated qualification, Norway were left with another disappointing result.

The defeat leaves Norway with three points in Group A4 after another difficult international window. The team had also lost to Wales before Sunday’s meeting with Portugal.

Haaland’s fitness will now be one of the main talking points surrounding the Norwegian side, while Manchester City supporters will be hoping the striker’s withdrawal was only a precaution.