Few anticipated a different outcome. Erling Haaland made a significant impact in his World Cup debut, matching Kylian Mbappé’s two-goal performance in France’s victory over Senegal. The Manchester City forward delivered a first-half brace, crucial for Norway’s aspirations in the tournament, which hinge on his performance. While the name on his jersey changes to Braut Haaland for his national team, his scoring prowess remains unchanged. The 25-year-old proved to be a player that defenders cannot afford to overlook, and Iraq learned this lesson the hard way.
Iraq, making their World Cup return after a 28-year absence, faced Norway, who had not participated in the tournament for 40 years. Despite the significant gap in FIFA rankings, Iraq held their own throughout the match. Norway’s defense appeared vulnerable at times, an observation that Mbappé will likely take note of ahead of their upcoming clash. This particular match, however, belonged to Haaland. While Martin Ødegaard, Norway’s captain, was less prominent, he did contribute to the team’s third goal before being substituted, likely to preserve his energy for tougher challenges ahead.
Even in stoppage time, Haaland continued to contribute. His looping header from a Kristoffer Ajer cross pressured Aymen Hussein, leading to an own goal that sealed Norway’s victory.
It took just over two minutes for the crowd, largely there to see Haaland, to witness his potential. Antonio Nusa delivered a brilliant pass to Haaland, eliciting gasps from the audience of over 60,000. Despite a moment of miscontrol, the excitement was palpable. Just four minutes later, Haaland outpaced Zaid Tahseen but was unable to assist Alexander Sørloth for a tap-in. Iraq responded with a chance from Ali al-Hamadi, which went over the bar.
Norway entered the tournament with mixed reviews—some see them as underrated while others believe they are overrated. The star power of Haaland and Ødegaard stands out, especially for a nation with a population under 6 million. Nonetheless, the team’s depth is equally impressive, with Nusa showcasing his talent in this match. Oscar Bobb, a player capable of starting for many international squads, was on the bench. This generation of Norwegian players is rightly celebrated, bringing both high expectations and significant pressure, especially against a team like Iraq. Iraq’s journey to the World Cup, marked by extensive qualifying matches and logistical hurdles due to regional conflicts, deserves commendation; however, it would be surprising if they do not finish last in Group I.
In the record books, Haaland’s first World Cup goal came in the 29th minute. Nusa, dazzling with his play, set up David Møller Wolfe, who crossed the ball to Haaland for a close-range finish. This marked Haaland’s 11th goal in as many competitive matches for Norway, a statistic that would soon improve.
Unexpectedly, Iraq responded as underdogs, scoring a remarkable equalizer that marked a significant moment in their World Cup journey. Previously, Iraq had scored only once in their 1986 World Cup appearance, but this goal was a standout. Ali Jassim assisted Amir al-Ammari, whose cross found Hussein, who, against the odds, outjumped Norwegian defenders to score a stunning header past Ørjan Håskjold Nyland. The celebration illustrated just how meaningful this goal was for Iraq.
Haaland, already a prolific scorer, benefited from an unfortunate error by Iraq. Just three minutes after their equalizer, Jalal Hassan hesitated instead of clearing a back-pass, allowing Haaland to take advantage of the situation. His shot rebounded off Hassan, restoring Norway’s lead.
Iraq might feel they were unlucky to be trailing at halftime, as Møller Wolfe’s exceptional defensive play stopped Ibrahim Bayesh from scoring. In the final moments of the first half, Akam Hashem’s half-volley narrowly missed Nyland’s goal.
The second half turned uneventful quickly. Hussein Ali failed to convert a back-post volley, while Haaland remained active but without any chances until the hydration break.
A substitute, Leo Østigård, provided Norway a cushion with a header from Ødegaard’s corner, although Iraq justifiably questioned the physicality around the goal.
Hassan denied Haaland a hat-trick, keeping the score intact this time, but the striker has certainly made his mark.
