Manchester City striker Erling Haaland cleared to play after freak accident leaves him with cut on face

Norway take on Moldova in Tuesday's World Cup qualifiers

Last updated: September 08, 2025 | 18:54

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Dubai: Manchester City and Norway striker Erling Haaland will be available for Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against Moldova, despite suffering an unusual injury in a freak accident.

The 24-year-old sustained a facial cut that required stitches after being struck by a luggage door while exiting the team bus. Haaland later shared a photo on social media showing the wound beneath the right side of his lip, captioned: “Just got banged out by a bus door [thumbs up emoji] 3 stitches [laughing face emoji].”

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“We should be glad it turned out the way it did, because it could have been much worse,” coach Stale Solbakken told Norwegian broadcaster NRK. “He had a few stitches, the bleeding was stopped, and he even went to the dentist, but there’s nothing to worry about regarding the match.”

Haaland recently scored the decisive penalty as Norway beat Finland on Thursday, preserving their perfect record after four games. Following international duty, he will turn his focus back to the Premier League, where Manchester City face rivals Manchester United in a derby showdown on Sunday.

Jai Rai

Jai is a seasoned journalist with more than two decades of experience across India and the UAE, specialising in sports reporting. Throughout his distinguished career, he has had the privilege of covering some of the biggest names and events in sports, including cricket, tennis, Formula 1 and golf. A former first-division cricket league captain himself, he brings not only a deep understanding of the game but also a cricketer's discipline to his work. His unique blend of athletic insight and journalistic expertise gives him a wide-ranging perspective that enriches his storytelling, making his coverage both detailed and engaging. Driven by an unrelenting passion for sports, he continues to craft compelling narratives that resonate with readers. As the day winds down for most, he begins his work, ensuring that the most captivating stories make it to the print edition in time for readers to receive them bright and early the next morning.

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