Norway advance in World Cup 2026
Norway has secured a place in the last 32 of the World Cup 2026 after a 3-2 victory over Senegal. The match, held at a rain-swept MetLife Stadium, saw Erling Haaland score two goals in the second half, ensuring Stale Solbakken‘s side progressed alongside France. This marks Norway‘s second win of the tournament, surpassing their total victories in all previous World Cups.
The game in New York was initially under threat due to heavy rain and shelter-in-place warnings, which had led to fans being briefly cleared from the stadium hours before kick-off. A flood watch was issued by the US National Weather Service for the area. Despite these concerns, the predicted torrential rain during the match did not materialise, allowing the game to proceed.
Senegal, despite a brace from Ismaila Sarr, now faces a challenging path to the knockout stages. They must achieve a significant win against Iraq in their final Group I match on Friday to have a chance of advancing.
Haaland’s impactful performance
Erling Haaland‘s performance was pivotal, with his second-half double taking his tally for Norway to 58th and 59th goals in his 52nd international appearance. He has now scored in his last 12 competitive appearances for his country. The Manchester City striker’s goals also made him Norway‘s all-time leading scorer at World Cups.
Haaland’s goals came after Marcus Pedersen opened the scoring for Norway in the 43rd minute, following defensive errors from Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy. Haaland then scored in the 48th minute, rifling a shot into the net, and again in the 58th minute with a close-range finish to restore Norway‘s two-goal lead. Despite Ismaila Sarr‘s efforts, including a goal in stoppage time, Senegal could not overcome the deficit.
The striker appeared frustrated at half-time after hitting the post following another mistake by Edouard Mendy. However, he converted his subsequent opportunities clinically. Haaland has now scored at least one goal in 18 of his last 21 competitive national team games. He also became only the sixth player to score multiple goals in each of his first two World Cup appearances.
Group I dynamics and upcoming fixture
The result means Group I is the first to have two teams, Norway and France, secure their places in the final 32. Norway will now face France on Friday to determine who wins the group. Norway boss Stale Solbakken expressed his satisfaction with Haaland’s performance, noting his impact on the biggest stage.
Senegal‘s best hope is to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams, which requires a strong performance against Iraq. The match tempo against Senegal was described as similar to their first game against France, with the African team competing strongly in the first half-hour, frustrating their opponents and keeping Haaland off the ball.
After the match, the jubilant Norwegian team engaged in a “Viking row” on the pitch, facing their fans, who largely dominated the stadium in red jerseys. This celebration followed a period where Norwegian fans have been entertaining New Yorkers with their mass rowing displays. Visa restrictions reportedly limited the number of Senegalese fans able to attend the match in the U.S.
The upcoming match against France promises to be a significant encounter, with both teams having secured their progression to the knockout stages of the World Cup 2026.
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Source: skysports.com
