Erling Haaland Leads Norway to Victory in World Cup Opener Against Iraq

Norway Prepares for World Cup Clash

Erling Haaland, the striker for Norway, recently shared moments from his team's training as they gear up for their upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match against Senegal. He posted highlights from the session on social media, captioning it, "The mission continues," which underscores Norway's determined preparation for this significant game.

Historic Debut for Haaland

In their first match against Iraq, Haaland made a remarkable impact, becoming the first male player to score multiple goals for Norway in a World Cup match. He netted two goals within the first 43 minutes, leading Norway to a decisive 4-1 victory, their first win in the World Cup in nearly three decades.

The match began with Iraq showing promise, creating early opportunities, including a close-range header from Aymen Hussein that went over the bar and a long-range shot from Ali Al Hamadi that missed the target. However, Norway took the lead in the 29th minute when Haaland capitalized on a low cross from David Moller Wolfe.

Iraq equalized shortly after, with Hussein scoring from a header off Amir Al Ammari's cross. Yet, Norway regained the lead before halftime when Haaland pressured goalkeeper Jalal Hassan into a mistake, resulting in an own goal.

Despite Iraq's attempts to level the score before the break, Norway maintained their lead. The second half saw fewer chances, but Norway extended their advantage in the 76th minute when Ostigard scored from a corner following an effort from Kristian Thorstvedt.

Haaland nearly secured a hat-trick late in the game after intercepting a poor back pass, but Hassan made a crucial save. Nevertheless, Haaland contributed to the final goal, as his late header led to an unfortunate own goal by Hussein in stoppage time.