A brace from star striker Erling Haaland propelled Norway to a 3-2 victory over Senegal on Tuesday at the New York New Jersey Stadium, securing their place in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup, according to FIFA.
Following an opening-match win against Iraq, the Norwegian side maintained their momentum by dominating the Teranga Lions, who spent most of the match chasing the game. After squandering several clear chances, the Scandinavians broke the deadlock just before the break. Marcus Holmgren Pedersen capitalized on a poor clearance from the Senegalese defense to open the scoring in the 43rd minute. Shortly after the restart, Haaland doubled the lead in the 48th minute, converting a clinical assist from Martin Ødegaard. Senegal responded five minutes later through Ismaïla Sarr, who found the back of the net after a well-crafted move involving Sadio Mané and Idrissa Gana Gueye.
However, Haaland struck again in the 58th minute, taking his tournament tally to four goals and restoring his team’s two-goal cushion. Despite a spirited late surge from Senegal, highlighted by a second goal from Ismaïla Sarr deep into stoppage time, Pape Thiaw’s men could not avoid a second consecutive defeat in the tournament.
According to FIFA, this victory marks the first time in history that Norway has won two consecutive matches at a World Cup, guaranteeing their spot in the knockout stage. In the Group I standings, Norway joins France at the top with six points, while Senegal and Iraq both remain without a point and will play for survival in their final group match. Named Man of the Match, Erling Haaland was ultimately the driving force behind Norway’s historic success and their qualification for the next round.
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