Even though it's still the pre-season, Erling Haaland has shown an incredibly fierce desire to score goals. The match against Yokohama F. Marinos demonstrated that the Norwegian striker has no intention of slowing down when it comes to finding the net. And it's Manchester City who benefits the most.
The friendly match with Yokohama was Man City's first game after winning the Champions League in 2022/23 in mid-June. While the whole team was still a bit rusty, Haaland was already on fire. He was brought on in the second half and took only 6 minutes to get his name on the scoresheet.
Receiving a pass from his teammate Phil Foden, Haaland skillfully evaded defenders before clinically finishing to make it 3-2 for the away side. His ball control and finishing ability were still top-notch, and even more terrifying when combined with his intense hunger for scoring goals.
This hunger was evident in Haaland's second goal. Although the match had entered injury time, and Man City had all but secured the victory, Haaland continued to run tirelessly to receive a pass from Joao Cancelo and slot the ball into the net, sealing a 5-3 win for the Sky Blues. Unsurprisingly, Haaland was awarded the "Man of the Match" title.
Even in a friendly game, the Norwegian striker displayed remarkable determination and professionalism. For Haaland, it seems that every time he steps onto the pitch, he is determined to score, and the more goals he scores, the better.
A warning to opponents After witnessing Haaland's impressive performance, manager Pep Guardiola issued a "warning" that the Norwegian forward would be even better than last year when he scored 52 goals in 53 appearances across all competitions in his debut season with Man City.
"Haaland is fitter and will explode even more than last season," Pep said. "His confident and effective start makes everyone believe that this year will be very special for Haaland. Let's wait and see how Haaland performs, and that's what Man City is expecting."
In his first season with Manchester City, Haaland demonstrated a terrifying goal-scoring form and helped the team achieve a historic treble, including winning the Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup. Not only that, he continuously broke numerous records in the Premier League and the Champions League.
In the 2022/23 Premier League season, Haaland scored 36 goals, breaking the record for the most goals in a single season previously held jointly by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole (34 goals). In the Champions League, he also won the Golden Boot with 12 goals, including a record of scoring 5 goals in the 7-0 victory over RB Leipzig in the round of 16 second leg at the Etihad Stadium.
It's worth noting that Haaland achieved these extraordinary feats despite struggling with injuries and causing doubts during the pre-season last year. Therefore, with the Norwegian striker ready to participate in the friendly matches to prepare for the 2023/24 season and already "heating up" from the beginning, Man City's opponents are surely feeling quite apprehensive.
"Compared to this stage last season, Haaland is truly fitter. Scoring two goals in the first match is very important for Haaland because he couldn't do that last season. Haaland is okay, not yet in peak form, but what matters is that he and the whole team are catching up with the pace and adhering to the principles. We know exactly what Haaland has to do. In just a few weeks, he and the entire team will be in better physical condition," Pep issued a warning.
Rewarding himself for his birthday The two goals and the "Player of the Match" award in the game against Yokohama were the rewards that Haaland bestowed upon himself on his 23rd birthday on July 21. Up to now, the Norwegian striker has achieved many glories and impressive records, with 211 goals in 260 appearances for clubs and the national team, most notably the historic treble with Manchester City in the previous season.
