Manchester City star striker Erling Haaland made a stunning FIFA World Cup debut, scoring twice as Norway secured a commanding 4-1 victory over Iraq in their Group I opener at a stadium in Massachusetts, USA, on June 17, 2026. The win puts Norway level on points with France at the top of the group.
Haaland's Brace Propels Norway
Haaland opened the scoring in the 29th minute, perfectly positioned at the back post to finish a low cross from David Moller Wolfe. Iraq responded ten minutes later when Aymen Hussein powered in a header from Amir Al Ammari's delivery. However, Norway regained the lead before half-time after Haaland pressed Iraq goalkeeper Jalal Hassan, forcing a mistake that resulted in the ball rolling into the net.
Second Half Dominance
The second half saw fewer clear chances until the 76th minute, when Leo Ostigard headed in from a corner following Kristian Thorstvedt's effort. Haaland nearly completed his hat-trick late on after intercepting a poor back pass, but Hassan made a quick save. However, the Norwegian striker still played a role in the final goal as his late header led to an unfortunate own goal by Hussein deep into stoppage time, sealing the 4-1 victory.
Group I Standings
With this win, Norway climbed to first place in Group I, while France, who secured a convincing 3-1 victory over Senegal earlier in the day, dropped to second place. Both teams have three points from their opening matches.
Match Highlights
- Iraq started brightly, with Aymen Hussein heading over from close range and Ali Al Hamadi sending a shot high from distance.
- Norway took the lead through Haaland's back-post finish in the 29th minute.
- Iraq equalized via Hussein's header in the 39th minute.
- Haaland forced a goalkeeping error to restore Norway's lead before half-time.
- Ostigard extended the lead with a header from a corner in the 76th minute.
- An own goal by Hussein in stoppage time completed the scoring.
Norway will look to build on this strong start when they face their next group opponents, while Iraq will aim to bounce back from the defeat.
