Soccer-Norway striker Haaland out of Euro qualifiers with hip injury

Norway's Erling Braut Haaland has pulled out of the upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers against Spain and Romania after injuring a hip, the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) said on Saturday. Haaland, Austrian side Salzburg's 19-year-old striker, became the third-youngest player to net a Champions League hat-trick in their 6-2 win over Genk last month and also scored at Liverpool in a 4-3 defeat earlier this week.

"Erling Braut Haaland has said that he will not be able to join the squad for the Euro qualifiers against Spain and Romania due to a hip injury," the NFF said in a statement https://www.fotball.no/landslag/norge-a-herrer/2019/forfall-fra-haaland. "Mohamed Elyounoussi of Celtic is the new player in the squad." Norway, who take on Spain on Oct. 12 and Romania on Oct. 15, are fourth in Group F with nine points from six games -- behind leaders Spain (18 points), Sweden (11) and Romania (10).