Haaland Fires Norway Into World Cup Round Of 32 With Match-Winning Double
Haaland's brace sends Norway into World Cup knockouts.
Norway secured their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 last 32 with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Senegal on Monday, powered by another outstanding performance from star striker Erling Haaland. The win marked Norway's second consecutive triumph in the tournament and ensured qualification for the knockout stages with one group match still to play.
The Scandinavian side took control of the contest late in the first half when substitute Marcus Holmgren Pedersen capitalised on a defensive error to put Norway ahead. Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly's misplaced pass gifted possession to Pedersen on the edge of the box, and the defender's low effort slipped underneath goalkeeper Edouard Mendy to hand Norway a deserved lead before the break.
Norway extended their advantage just three minutes into the second half through Haaland. A swift counterattack orchestrated by captain Martin Odegaard carved open the Senegal defence, allowing the Manchester City striker to race through on goal and finish emphatically. The goal added to the two Haaland scored in Norway's opening victory over Iraq, underlining his status as one of the tournament's most dangerous forwards.
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Senegal responded through Ismaila Sarr, who reduced the deficit with a composed finish after a clever assist from Sadio Mane. However, Norway quickly restored their two-goal cushion when Koulibaly failed to clear a cross from Patrick Berg, allowing Haaland to volley home off the crossbar. The brace took Haaland's international tally to an extraordinary 59 goals in just 52 appearances for Norway and gave him four goals in two matches at the World Cup.
Despite losing Mendy to injury and introducing Mory Diaw in goal, Senegal continued to push forward. Sarr scored his second goal of the evening to set up a tense finale, but Norway held firm under pressure to preserve the victory. The result leaves Senegal needing a win over Iraq in their final group-stage match to keep alive their hopes of progressing to the knockout rounds.
The victory also extended Norway's impressive recent form, with the team suffering only one defeat in their last 18 matches. Led by Haaland's relentless scoring ability and supported by the creativity of Odegaard, Norway have emerged as one of the tournament's most exciting teams. They will now face France in Boston in a highly anticipated showdown for top spot in the group, while Senegal's World Cup future hangs in the balance.
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