Erling Haaland scored twice as Norway beat Senegal 3-2 on Monday, securing a place in the World Cup knockout stage in their first appearance at the tournament in 28 years.
The Manchester City striker continued his impressive form, taking his tally to four goals in two matches and underlining his growing influence on football’s biggest stage.
Playing in wet conditions in New Jersey, Senegal started brightly and looked capable of troubling Norway. For much of the opening half-hour, the African side kept Haaland quiet and frustrated the Norwegian attack.
However, Norway broke the deadlock just before half-time. Substitute Marcus Pedersen, who came on for the injured Julian Ryerson, capitalised on a defensive mistake. Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly failed to clear the ball properly and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy could not stop Pedersen’s powerful effort.
Norway struck again shortly after the restart. Martin Odegaard produced a perfectly weighted pass for Haaland, who blasted the ball into the top corner.
Ten minutes later, Haaland added his second goal of the night, volleying home after the ball bounced off the crossbar to give Norway a commanding 3-0 lead.
Despite their defensive struggles, Senegal remained a threat going forward. Ismaila Sarr pulled a goal back midway through the second half and added another deep into stoppage time, but the comeback came too late.
The victory, combined with Norway’s 4-1 opening win over Iraq, guaranteed their place in the knockout rounds for the first time since the 1998 World Cup.
France’s 3-0 victory over Iraq earlier in the day means Group I became the first group to have two teams qualify for the round of 32. Norway and France will now face each other on Friday to decide who finishes top of the group.
Senegal still have a chance of progressing as one of the best third-placed teams, but they will need results elsewhere to go their way.
After the final whistle, Norway’s players celebrated with their supporters by performing a traditional “Viking clap” on the pitch. However, Haaland was quick to keep expectations in check when asked whether this was becoming “Haaland’s World Cup.”
“Qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in 28 years and reaching the knockout stage is a great achievement,” he said. “But winning the tournament? Let’s be realistic.”
The match was played amid difficult weather conditions. Heavy rain and thunderstorms had affected the region throughout the day, causing travel disruptions and shelter warnings. While conditions improved during the game, another weather alert was issued shortly after the final whistle.
