There is a reason why Erling Haaland is called a robot. The numbers he racks up in front of the goal is nothing ordinary, and the consistency he delivers every season in and out, makes even his moderate performances look good enough for a striker.
Haaland is not a late bloomer. He was expected to be a generational talent since his teenage days.
In fact, he made his senior debut for Bryne, his boyhood club, three months before he turned 16. But his breakthrough recognition came during his time at Molde FK in the top tier of Norwegian football league, Eliteserien.
His second season at Molde FK, Haaland, at just 18 years, was the top scorer of the team with 16 goals in 30 appearances. This earned him a move to the Austrian champions RB Salzburg in 2018, where his arrival was resounding enough to be heard by top clubs across Europe.
But the damages he made back at Molde FK have come back to him for a visit now.
Haaland’s most recent victim were West Ham, where he scored a brace and assisted one for Reijnders, helping City break through the Hammers with a 3-0 victory.
One of the important moment of the games was the visit of a special fan in the stands, Samuel Sahin-Radlinger, a former opponent and a victim of “The Robot”.
Samuel Sahin-Radlinger is an Austrian goalkeeper, currently playing for Austria Wien in the Austrian Bundesliga. Throughout his career, he had represented multiple clubs before finding a starting spot at Wien.
The Austrian met the wrath of Norwegian viking, during his loan spell at Brann Bergen, a club in the top tier of Norwegian football system.
In their game against Molde FK, Haaland soon before turning 18, put four past the goalkeeper in just 21 minutes into the game. Radlinger had much to say about that later, in his interview with “Krone”.
“During my time at Brann Bergen, we had a great start to the season. Then came the game against Molde. We heard that they had a 17-year-old super striker. And then Haaland scored four goals for me within 21 minutes. I still get the pictures on Instagram every now and then“.
Haaland was a menace that afternoon. He dribbled past the goalkeeper twice, for the first and third goal, while the second goal was pure technique, as he moves ahead of the last defender smoothly, by putting the ball behind him and finishing it in the bottom corner as the goalkeeper rushed.
In the 21st minute, he scored a penalty to complete a poker. He was subbed out of the game in the 61st minute and was adjudged deservingly as the Player of the Match
Haaland was able to outpace every defender that game, glittering a special talent of clinicality.
On Saturday, Radlinger attended the game at Etihad with a poster in his hand, reliving his past encounter with Haaland. It read, ” Hey Erling, Do you remember me, 1st July 2018, SK Brann – Molde FK 0:4. You scored four goals against me. Can I have your shirt please?”
We aren’t sure if Haaland did see the banner and gave his jersey but the Man City striker did pay his tribute to Norwegian and Man city legend Age Hareide, who recently passed away. Haaland had agreed to dedicate his signed jersey to the Legend’s grandchildren after the win over West Ham.
