Haaland Fires Norway into the Knockout Stage
The Manchester City striker scored another brace, taking his tally to four goals in just two World Cup matches and firmly placing himself in the race for the adidas Golden Boot alongside Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé.
Erling Haaland continued his outstanding FIFA World Cup 2026™ campaign by leading Norway into the Round of 32 with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Senegal at New York/New Jersey Stadium.
The Manchester City striker scored another brace, taking his tally to four goals in just two World Cup matches and firmly placing himself in the race for the adidas Golden Boot alongside Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé.
Norway 3-2 Senegal
Goalscorers
Norway ⚽ Marcus Holmgren Pedersen 43' ⚽ Erling Haaland 48' ⚽ Erling Haaland 58'
Senegal ⚽ Ismaila Sarr 53' ⚽ Ismaila Sarr 90+3'
The first half was a tight affair with few clear-cut chances, but Norway found the breakthrough in the 43rd minute. Marcus Holmgren Pedersen capitalized on a costly mistake by Kalidou Koulibaly and fired home to give the Scandinavians the lead.
Just three minutes into the second half, Haaland struck again. After a perfectly weighted pass from Martin Ødegaard, the Norwegian star calmly slotted the ball into the net to make it 2-0.
Senegal responded quickly through Ismaila Sarr in the 53rd minute, but Haaland restored Norway’s two-goal cushion only five minutes later, finishing from close range for his second goal of the match.
Sarr scored again deep into stoppage time to set up a tense finish, but Norway held on to secure the victory they needed to guarantee qualification for the knockout rounds.
Haaland Keeps Breaking Records
With this performance, Haaland has now scored 59 goals in 52 appearances for Norway, an extraordinary record that further cements his status as one of the world's most prolific strikers.
He has also scored in each of his last 12 competitive matches for the Norwegian national team.
Key Statistic
This victory means Norway’s four FIFA World Cup wins have come against teams from four different confederations:
🇲🇽 Mexico (CONCACAF) – 1-0 in 1994 🇧🇷 Brazil (CONMEBOL) – 2-1 in 1998 🇮🇶 Iraq (AFC) – 4-1 in 2026 🇸🇳 Senegal (CAF) – 3-2 in 2026 Superior Player of the Match
🏆 Erling Haaland (Norway)
What They Said
Ismaila Sarr (Senegal):
"It was tough. We're a little disappointed, but it's not over yet. We still have one more game to play and we'll do everything we can to win it."
Erling Haaland (Norway):
"It was special again. Another fantastic night and I'm very proud. I've always enjoyed playing for Norway since my debut, and that shows on the pitch. The World Cup is amazing!"
Norway have now secured their place in the Round of 32, while their upcoming clash with France will determine the winner of Group I. Meanwhile, Haaland remains firmly in the hunt alongside Messi and Mbappé in the race for the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot.