Former Norway manager Egil Olsen has harshly criticized Erling Haaland’s performance in Norway’s goalless draw against Kazakhstan in a Nations League match.
Despite Norway’s attacking lineup featuring Haaland, Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard, RB Leipzig’s Antonio Nusa, and Atletico Madrid’s Alexander Sorloth, they failed to break through Kazakhstan’s defense, registering only two shots on target from 19 attempts despite 71% possession.
This led to criticism from former Norway manager Egil Olsen, who did not hold back in his assessment.
Speaking to TV2, Olsen described Haaland’s performance as ‘one of the worst things’ he’s seen from the striker.
He also noted Odegaard’s lackluster display, adding that while the Arsenal captain showed flashes of brilliance, he too was below par.
Olsen lamented the result, stating that no other teams in Norway’s Nations League group would likely drop points to Kazakhstan.
Norway’s hopes of qualifying for a major tournament remain bleak, as they haven’t reached one since the 1998 World Cup.
However, Haaland is just two goals away from equaling Jorgen Juve’s record as Norway’s all-time top scorer, with 31 goals in 34 appearances.
Haaland’s underperformance contrasts sharply with his stellar form for Manchester City this season, where he has already scored seven goals in just three matches, including hat-tricks against Ipswich Town and West Ham United, and an opener against Chelsea in the Premier League.
Norway will next face Austria on September 9, in a crucial match for their Nations League campaign.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
