Morocco vs Norway: Erling Haaland's astonishing stat

Africa Today at 05:41

Nafongo TRAORE

News Editor

07.06.26 FT Friendly International

Morocco

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Norway

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Morocco and Norway played to a draw on June 7 in a friendly as they geared up for the World Cup. Although the Atlas Lions conceded an equalizer in the 75th minute, they achieved a defensive masterclass by shutting Erling Haaland out of the game.

The Manchester City superstar, one of the most lethal strikers in world football, endured a frustrating night. In 72 minutes, Haaland touched the ball just four times—his lowest tally since 2019. That stat alone speaks volumes about Morocco’s defensive dominance as they delivered a textbook man-marking display against the Norwegian ace.

Even though the Atlas Lions conceded in the 75th minute to Martin Ødegaard (1-1), Achraf Hakimi and his teammates stuck to their defensive blueprint against Haaland with remarkable discipline. Shutting down Haaland sends a powerful message to all World Cup contenders. The Qatar 2022 semi-final run is history; now Morocco are primed for their opening clash on June 13 against Brazil.

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