World Cup 2026: Haaland double powers Norway to winning start against Iraq

Erling Haaland sparkled on his World Cup debut as Norway defeated Iraq 4-1 on Tuesday in their Group I match to make a winning return to the tournament 28 years after their last appearance.

Haaland netted either side of an Aymen Hussein leveller in the first half, before Leo Ostigard and a late Hussein own goal ensured all three points for the Norwegians.

The result means Norway go top of Group I on goal average ahead of France, who earlier beat Senegal in their World Cup opener.

Haaland was in the spotlight long before the match, and he lived up ‌to his big-name billing on his debut on the biggest of stages.

The Manchester City striker, who scored 16 times in eight qualifying games, double the ‌tally of anyone else in Europe, opened his World Cup goal account in the ⁠29th minute, beating his markers and stabbing in a David Moller Wolfe low cross at the far post.

It was always going to be an uphill struggle for Iraq, who returned to the World Cup for the first time in 40 years after grabbing ‌the last available World Cup place with a 2-1 win over Bolivia in their intercontinental playoff in March.

But they had been battle-hardened by 21 qualifying matches and they kept their composure, snatching a stunning equaliser 10 minutes later, ‌with Aymen Hussein, whose goal against Bolivia had sent them to the World Cup, rising higher than three Norwegians in the box and heading in an Amir Al Ammari cross.

Their joy, however, was short-lived when Haaland pounced on a weak back pass to Iraq's Jalal Hassan.

The keeper hesitated before trying to clear the ball but instead hit Haaland, with the ball bouncing off his knee into the net for his 57th goal in 51 international matches. Norway's Erling Haaland and Iraq's Zaid Tahseen fight for the ball during their Group I match.

The forward, who looked to have benefited from some rest given by Manchester City at the end of the English Premier League season and by Norway in the run-up to the tournament, needed just 11 touches in the first half to score twice and give his team their first lead at halftime of a World Cup match.

Iraq refused to give up, repeatedly coming close in first-half stoppage time as both teams, with a combined World Cup absence of 68 years, delivered a scintillating opening 45 minutes.

The pace dropped somewhat after ⁠the break but Norway struck again in the 76th, sealing their win with substitute Leo Ostigard's glancing header, before under-pressure Hussein ⁠scored an own goal deep into stoppage time.

The Norwegians next play Senegal, while Iraq take on 2018 World Cup winners France in their second group game.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, Reuters)