A Roaring Return to the World Cup: Norway and Erling Haaland Deliver a Goal Fest

Norway played their first World Cup match since 1998, when they were eliminated in the round of 16.

In the second half, they avoided a surprise upset and, with two more goals, moved to the top of Group I.

Iraq will play their next match on Monday, June 22, at 5:00 PM EDT in Philadelphia against France. Norway will play on the same day at 8:00 PM EDT in East Rutherford against Senegal.

The match started at a rapid pace, with Iraqi footballers immediately attempting to surprise their opponents with a long ball to Hussein, but goalkeeper Nyland safely dealt with the situation. Play flowed from one end to the other; Ismail headed over the bar for the home side, while at the other end, Haaland pressed for the first half-chance. A few minutes later, the Norwegian striker showcased his strength, breaking past Hashim and looking for Nusu, but goalkeeper Hassan reached the ball first. Iraq responded with a dangerous situation in the 13th minute when Al-Hamadi got to a rebound, but his shot from the edge of the box went over. Norway gradually took control of the midfield, calming the game with combination play and starting to threaten from set pieces. After a cross from Ødegaard, Haaland shot over the bar while leaning back, and later, after a cross from Ryerson, Hassan made a watchful save from Sørloth's header. The scoring was opened in the 29th minute after a textbook move by the Nordic team. Captain Ødegaard played Nusu through, who then passed the ball to Wolfe, whose precise cross was emphatically put into the net at the far post by the unmarked machine, Haaland. After a short hydration break, the pace of the game slightly dropped, but the end of the half brought significant drama. In the 39th minute, Iraq executed a beautiful move down the wing, with Jasim crossing from the left and Hussein scoring with a superb header, giving Nyland no chance. However, the underdog's joy from the equalizer was short-lived. In the 43rd minute, Haaland put immense pressure on the opponent's build-up play. Defender Ali criminally underestimated a back-pass, and goalkeeper Hassan, in his clearance, hit the pressing Norwegian striker, from whom the ball comically ricocheted directly into the empty net. In first-half stoppage time, Iraq could have equalized again, but Al-Hamadi's shot was blocked for a corner by center-back Ajer, from which Tahseen subsequently forced a good save from Nyland.

Both teams started the second half with unchanged lineups. Although the Iraqi players came out with great intensity, the Nordic defense stood firm. Al-Hamadi got a header from Jasim's cross but narrowly missed. As time progressed, however, the match turned into a tactical battle with minimal excitement in front of both goals. Norway controlled possession, and although they pushed forward, their attacks lacked an element of surprise. On the Iraqi side, Hussein threatened in the 64th minute, running onto a cross at the far post, but his attempt to chip Nyland went over the bar. After the second hydration break in the 70th minute, Norwegian coach Ståle Solbakken opted for a mass substitution, bringing on four new players, including Østigård and Thorstvedt. This move injected fresh energy into the game. Just four minutes later, substitute Østigård won a corner after a back-pass. From that corner in the 77th minute, Ødegaard curled a superb cross into the box, and the fresh Leo Østigård headed it in with an unstoppable, powerful effort to make it 3-1. Iraq mentally collapsed after this moment, and Norway clearly dominated the remainder of the match. In the 84th minute, the Iraqi team made a huge error in their build-up, Haaland seized the ball, but Hassan saved his powerful shot. The final goal of the match came in added time. In the seventh minute of stoppage time, a cross from deep found Haaland again at the far post, who headed the ball across the goal, and Kristian Thorstvedt, with a bit of luck, bundled it into the net for a final score of 4-1.