Erling Haaland delivered again on football’s biggest stage as Norway edged Senegal 3-2 in a gripping World Cup clash at MetLife Stadium. The Manchester City striker struck twice in the second half to send his nation into the round of 32, but not before a late Senegal fightback turned a comfortable win into a nervous finish.
Norway started with intensity and purpose, forcing early corners and testing Édouard Mendy through Kristoffer Ajer. The breakthrough arrived just before half-time when Marcus Pedersen reacted quickest to a loose clearance from Kalidou Koulibaly and fired low past the Senegal goalkeeper.
Pedersen’s goal came after early chaos in the Norway squad, with Julian Ryerson forced off injured and the debutant thrown straight into World Cup pressure. Martin Ødegaard’s influence grew as Norway controlled possession, while Senegal struggled to settle in transition.
Haaland, unusually quiet in the first half, still came close before the break when he rounded Mendy but struck the post. That moment felt like a warning, and it proved accurate within minutes of the restart.
Ødegaard slipped a perfect pass through the lines, and Haaland finished with power to double Norway’s lead. The goal showed the trademark blend of timing and aggression that has made him one of the most feared forwards in world football.
Senegal responded immediately through Ismaïla Sarr, who finished after strong work from Sadio Mané. The African side grew in belief, but Norway’s response was swift and ruthless once again.
Haaland struck his second soon after, volleying home from Patrick Berg’s delivery to restore the two-goal cushion. “He is the best striker,” Norway boss Ståle Solbakken said. “He is not playing for France or Argentina, he scores for Norway.”
The game swung back late on as Sarr added his second in stoppage time, setting up a tense finish in front of a nervous Norwegian crowd. Senegal pushed forward with urgency, but their finishing lacked the edge needed to complete the comeback.
Norway’s win confirmed qualification alongside France, with a showdown now set to decide top spot in Group I. Haaland, now on four goals in the tournament, sits among the leaders in the Golden Boot race alongside Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé.
After the match, Haaland kept his focus simple. “I don’t care, we are through,” he said. “They will probably beat us and go on and win the whole tournament.”
For Senegal, the picture is more complicated. Two defeats leave them on the brink, needing a decisive win against Iraq to stay alive in the competition.
Despite the defeat, Sarr’s double showed their threat remains real. But Norway’s cutting edge, led by Haaland’s relentless finishing, proved the difference in a match played at full throttle from start to finish.
