World Cup 2026: Iraq 1-4 Norway - Erling Haaland scores twice on match debut as Stale Solbakken's aspect make profitable begin

Erling Haaland starred on his World Cup debut, scoring twice to assist Norway to a 4-1 win over Iraq in Boston.

The Manchester Metropolis striker was saved quiet within the first 28 minutes – with the sum of his possibilities a towering header that went nicely over the bar – however he was quickly off the mark when he tapped in a sq. ball from Wolves defender David Moller Wolfe.

It was the eleventh aggressive look during which he had scored for Norway, courting again to November 2024, but in addition his 51st senior worldwide aim in simply 56 appearances.

Aymen Hussein – who was held and questioned for round seven hours by authorities when he arrived within the US earlier this month – then levelled with a superb header 10 minutes later. It was solely Iraq’s second-ever World Cup aim and their first in 40 years.

However simply earlier than the break, Haaland chased down Zaid Tahseen’s weak move again to goalkeeper Jalal Hassan, nipped in entrance and tapped residence to shortly restore Norway’s lead with aim quantity 52.

The second half largely lacked the thrill of the primary. At instances, the tempo slowed to that of a coaching match. However with 14 minutes of the 90 left to play, substitute Leo Ostigard was in a position to run unchallenged to fulfill Martin Odegaard’s nook and head residence.

And deep into stoppage time, they managed a fourth when Haaland’s towering header was turned over the road by the unlucky Hussein on the far put up, which added the gloss and ensured Norway obtained off to a profitable begin.

The victory places them high of Group I on aim distinction following France’s 3-1 win over Senegal within the earlier recreation.

The important thing moments from Boston

13: Iraq’s Ali Al-Hamadi fires over beneath strain from Torbjorn Heggem.
20: OVER! Erling Haaland leaps to fulfill a nook however heads nicely away from the goal.
29: GOAL! Haaland scores his first World Cup aim by tapping in David Moller Wolfe’s cross.
31: CHANCE! Haaland opts to tee up Alexander Sorloth as an alternative of going alone. His shot is blocked.
37: Martin Odegaard fires extensive from 20 yards.
39: GOAL! Aymen Hussein ranges with bullet header.
43: GOAL! Haaland takes benefit of a defensive error to attain his second.
53: Hussein meets a beautiful cross from Ibrahim Bayesh, however cannot get the header on course.
65: Hussein Ali latches onto a cross, then lifts an effort onto the roof of the web.
76: GOAL! Leo Ostigard runs, leaps and heads residence Odegaard’s nook.
83: CHANCE! Haaland passes up an opportunity to finish his hat-trick by firing straight at Jalal Hassan.
90+7: GOAL! Hussein’s personal aim extends Norway’s lead within the ultimate seconds.

Evaluation: Haaland takes to a brand new competitors with ease – once more

The Austrian Bundesliga, the Bundesliga, the Premier League, the Champions League. All over the place Erling Haaland has gone, in each competitors he has performed in, he has settled instantly.

So it was maybe no shock one of many world’s most fearsome strikers would take to the World Cup like a duck to water, too.

Lower than half-hour into his match debut – and Norway’s first look since 1998 – he was off the mark with a tap-in. Earlier than the break, he had taken benefit of a calamitous error to attain one other. He performed a component within the fourth aim, too.

And all that with simply 20 touches all through everything of the sport in Boston. That’s nothing new, however it’s a reminder of the devastating affect he can have with out touching the ball.

The 25-year-old is among the many favourites for the Golden Boot and it’s straightforward to see why. However you wouldn’t wager towards him making important progress in the direction of Miroslav Klose’s all-time file of 16 World Cup objectives both…