Erling Haaland’s second consecutive two-goal match led Norway into the round of 32 at the World Cup with a 3-2 victory against Senegal in East Rutherford, N.J., on Monday.
Norway and France each have six points from two matches heading into their Group I finale on Friday in Foxborough, Mass. France lead on goal differential (plus-5 to plus-4), meaning they need just a draw to take first place in the group.
Senegal (0-2-0, 0 points) are on the verge of elimination entering their match against Iraq (0-2-0, 0 points) on Friday in Toronto.
After goals by substitute Marcus Holmgren Pedersen in the 43rd minute and Haaland in the 48th, Senegal’s Ismaila Sarr pulled one back in the 53rd before Haaland made it a two-goal lead again in the 58th.
Sarr caused a nervy finish by scoring in the third minute of second-half stoppage time with a strike from the middle of the box to make it 3-2.
Haaland, who scored twice in his World Cup debut vs. Iraq in the opening match, made it 2-0 when Martin Odegaard slipped a pass through two defenders and Haaland took a shot despite slipping.
Sarr held off two defenders to score from the center of the box to make it 2-1, but Norway responded with pressure that created a turnover and Patrick Berg spotted Haaland in front of the goal.
Haaland took the hip-high service and still managed to get off a right-footed shot. He has 24 goals during a 12-match goal streak for Norway in competitive matches and 59 goals in 52 career international matches overall.
Shortly after that, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy (three saves) left with an injury. Mory Diaw replaced him.
The Norwegians started with a bang but could not crack the scoresheet despite a sequence of four consecutive corner kicks.
Still, it took a spectacular reactionary save by Mendy to keep Norway at bay in the fourth minute. Julian Ryerson’s in-swinger from the left corner went to unmarked Kristoffer Ajer at the 6-yard box. Ajer headed the ball down, and Mendy trapped it between his legs at the goal line and as he was falling somehow flicked the ball out of harm’s way.
Pedersen entered in the 12th minute for an injured Ryerson, and a blunder by Kalidou Koulibaly led to his goal. Koulibaly’s clearance of an Odegaard pass went directly to Pedersen, who unleashed a shot that went off Mendy’s left arm.
–Field Level Media
