Erling Haaland leaves Norway camp just hours before New Zealand clash

ERLING HAALAND has left Norway's camp early just hours before their game against New Zealand.

Haaland scored a hat-trick against Israel on Saturday but will not be in their squad for the friendly against the Kiwis on Tuesday.

1 Erling Haaland will miss Norway's friendly against New Zealand Credit: Getty

Haaland is one of several other players to be given permission to return to their clubs in preparation for domestic duties.

The Norwegian FA confirmed: "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 Sorloth, Julian Ryerson, Erling Braut Haaland and Fredrik Bjorkan. Felix Horn Myhre is leaving the squad due to a sore ankle."

Haaland's Manchester City sit fifth in the Premier League table and play Everton on Saturday.

The 25-year-old is the top scorer with nine goals in his opening seven Prem matches.

But, the goal machine malfunctioned when he failed to convert an early penalty AND the re-take in Norway’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Israel.

But the City star bounced back with a hat-trick — to take his tally to 21 goals for the season — and a 5-0 win moved his nation within touching distance of qualifying for the World Cup.

Former Crystal Palace forward Alexander Sorloth played strike partner Haaland in for his first goal.

And he said: “I stopped getting surprised many years ago because when Erling steps on the pitch, he always scores. He’s like a robot when it comes to scoring goals.

“You think you’ve seen everything — but he just gets better and better. There’s nothing he can’t do.

"His statistics are unbelievable. He’s really important, and not just the goals he scores. He takes a lot of responsibility up front.

“They always have to put at least two defenders on him. That makes space for the rest of us. So he’s hugely important for the team.”

His treble against Israel made him only the sixth player — and the first for 53 years — to hit a half-century of international goals in fewer than 50 games, with 51 strikes in 46 caps.

Haaland has scored 12 times in the current World Cup qualification campaign — no one else has more than six goals.

Only two players have scored more than that in a campaign — Poland’s Robert Lewandowski’s 16 and Portugal ace Cristiano Ronaldo with 15, both in qualifying for Russia 2018.

Haaland may fancy his chances of challenging them with two games to come, including Estonia at home.

I stopped getting surprised many years ago because when Erling steps on the pitch, he always scores. He’s like a robot when it comes to scoring goals.

Victory in that game on November 13 would all-but confirm Norway’s place in North America next summer ahead of their final game in Italy.

And Haaland insists his focus is on collective achievement rather than individual glory.

He said: “All I care about is winning the next match.”

Norway’s men last reached the World Cup back in 1998, when an Egil Olsen side packed with Premier League players beat the holders Brazil in their final group game in France but lost to Italy in the last 16.

Haaland and Sorloth know better than most about Norway’s golden generation.

Their fathers, Alf-Inge Haaland and Goran Sorloth — along with current manager Stale Solbakken — were in the squad at USA 1994.

Atletico Madrid forward Sorloth said: “It must have been an amazing experience, and that’s what we are hoping for.

“It would mean a lot, of course, because we haven’t been in the championship for a long, long time.

“So that’s our only focus now. Estonia is next, and then, hopefully we can celebrate and go to Italy and be there with the trip to America in the bag.”