Manchester City star Erling Haaland netted a second-half brace on Tuesday morning to power Norway to a deserved 3-2 victory over Senegal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Norway began on the front foot, nearly taking an early lead when Kristoffer Ajer rose highest from a corner in the 3rd minute, but his header was comfortably saved.Shortly after, Martin Odegaard came close in the 14th minute, firing just over the crossbar after a well-timed pass from Marcus Pedersen.The breakthrough finally arrived in the 43rd minute when a costly defensive mistake allowed Marcus Pedersen to steal possession and calmly slot the ball into the net, giving Norway a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.Moments before the break, Haaland nearly doubled the advantage, striking the post from close range in stoppage time, after goalkeeper Mendy committed an unpardonable error.After so many missed chances in the first half, Norway wasted no time after the restart. In the 48th minute, Haaland latched onto a precise pass from Odegaard and finished clinically into the right side of the net to make it 2-0.Orjan Nyland was then called into action, producing a crucial save in the 52nd minute to deny Nicolas Jackson, who had met a dangerous cross with a low header.Senegal responded almost immediately. In the 53rd minute, Ismaila Sarr produced a moment of brilliance, latching onto a perfectly timed pass before smashing an unstoppable shot into the top corner to reduce the deficit to 2-1.In the 58th minute, after a clever team move involving Patrick Berg, Haaland was once again in the right place at the right time, finishing off a precise move with a shot that bounced in off the crossbar to complete his brace and restore the two-goal cushion at 3-1.Despite a late surge from Senegal, which produced another goal from Ismaila Sarr, it was not enough to save the Teranga Lions from a 3-2 defeat.The result puts Norway second in Group I on six points, just behind France on goal difference.Senegal meanwhile are without a win after two matches and must beat Iraq convincingly in their final group match to stand any chance of advancing to the knockout stage.
Source link
World Cup 2026: Erling Haaland brace fires Norway past Senegal in 3-2 victory
