Erling Haaland’s first-half brace in his World Cup debut helped Norway to a 4-1 victory against Iraq in the Group I opener for both teams Tuesday in Foxborough, Mass.
Haaland’s goals in the 29th and 43rd minutes sandwiched a score by Aymen Hussein in the 39th. Substitute Leo Ostigard made it 3-1 in the 76th, and an own goal by Hussein in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage was created by a Haaland header on target.
Of course, the attention was on Manchester City’s goal maven Haaland, 25, winner of the Golden Boot in three of the past four seasons in the English Premier League.
He also led all scorers in World Cup qualifying with 16 goals and has 57 goals in 51 international contests for Norway, scoring in his past 11 competitive matches.
The Norwegians prevailed in their first World Cup match since 1998.
Haaland scored the opening goal within a minute of coming out of the hydration break. He made a run to the right post and David Moller Wolfe from the left flank sent a perfect feed that Haaland was able to redirect with his right foot while sliding.
But Hussein’s equalizer was just as good. Ali Jasim passed to a cutting Amir Al-Ammari, who lofted the ball to Hussein for a header from the center of the box.
In 96 matches Hussein has 34 goals, including the winner in Iraq’s 21st and final qualifier against Bolivia to send Iraq to the World Cup for the first time since 1986.
Haaland responded for the 2-1 lead when he pressured a back pass to Zaid Tahseen that was into no man’s land. Haaland raced for the ball but the clearance by goalkeeper Jalal Hassan smashed off Haaland to the back of the net.
In the sixth minute of first-half stoppage, Akam Hashim’s shot just outside the box was inches over the crossbar as Iraq pressed for the tying score.
Ostigard, who entered in the 73rd minute, got the insurance goal by making a run to the near post to head the right corner kick by Martin Odegaard. It helped that Haaland was surrounded by three players.
Haaland was denied a hat trick in the 83rd minute when Hassan made a save on a partial break.
In the other Group I opener, France defeated Senegal 3-1 to claim all three points. On Monday, Iraq meet France in Philadelphia while Senegal and Norway play in East Rutherford, N.J.
–Field Level Media
