9 hours ago
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Erling Haaland is leaving international duty early and the striker will be fresh for Manchester City when Premier League action resumes next weekend.
Erling Haaland is leaving the Norway camp before their friendly against New Zealand and will return to Manchester City early ahead of next weekend's Premier League clash with Everton.
Haaland scored a hat-trick in Saturday's 5-0 win against Israel, moving Norway a significant step closer to its first World Cup appearance since 1998.
The 25-year-old missed two penalties early on in the game, getting a second chance after encroachment, only to be thwarted again, but he still went on to hit another treble, taking his tally for Norway to 51 goals in 46 caps.
But Stale Solbakken's side only have a friendly to round off their international week, and Haaland is one of several players being excused from that fixture and allowed to return to their clubs ahead of the resumption of domestic duties.
Although Haaland is leaving the camp, there is further interest for City. Not only is Oscar Bobb in contention to face New Zealand, but Norway have handed a first call-up to 18-year-old midfielder Sverre Nypan, who joined the Blues from Rosenborg for £12.5million this summer.
Nypan is impressing on loan at Championship side Middlesbrough this season and captained Norway Under-21s in a 4-1 friendly defeat to Spain on Friday. The teenager is now in line for a senior debut against the All Whites in Oslo on Tuesday.
A statement from the Norwegian FA said: "Sebastian Sebulonsen is in the Norwegian national team squad, he and Sverre Nypan are participating in today's training.
"Players with particularly tight match schedules are returning home: Alexander Sørloth, Julian Ryerson, Erling Braut Haaland and Fredrik Bjørkan. Felix Horn Myhre is leaving the squad due to a sore ankle."
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