Sørloth breaks silence on why he didn’t pass to Haaland
Norway’s Alexander Sørloth explained that he chose to shoot rather than pass to an open Erling Haaland during their World Cup exit because defender John Stones had effectively blocked the passing lane.
Norway forward Alexander Sørloth has defended his controversial decision not to pass to a wide-open Erling Haaland during their heartbreaking 2-1 World Cup quarter-final defeat against England.
With Norway leading 1-0 before half-time, the Atlético Madrid striker spearheaded a dangerous two-on-one counter-attack alongside Haaland but opted to shoot himself, resulting in a blocked effort captured by Jordan Pickford.
Speaking after the match, Sørloth explained that England defender John Stones successfully cut off the immediate passing lane, causing him to hesitate before unleashing his shot.
While pundits heavily criticized the sequence as a massive tactical blunder, Norway manager Ståle Solbakken protected his player, attributing the lapse in judgment to exhaustion following a grueling 50-meter sprint in intense humidity.
