Norway booked their place in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 after edging Senegal 3-2 in a thrilling Group I encounter, with Erling Haaland scoring twice while Ismaila Sarr’s brace almost earned the Africans a dramatic comeback.
The match marked the first World Cup meeting between the two nations. Their only previous encounter came in a friendly in Dakar in March 2006, when Senegal claimed a 2-1 victory.
Norway started at a relentless pace and made World Cup history almost immediately. Within the opening five minutes, they became the first team on record to win four corners in the first four minutes of a World Cup match.
Their early pressure nearly paid off in the third minute when Kristoffer Ajer powered a close range header towards goal. However, Edouard Mendy produced an extraordinary save, somehow twisting his legs together on the goal line to keep the effort out before Senegal cleared the resulting corner.
Norway then suffered an early setback in the 12th minute when Julian Ryerson was forced off through injury. The Borussia Dortmund full back looked devastated as Marcus Pedersen replaced him, leaving Norway without one of their key attacking outlets from wide areas.
Pedersen nearly made an immediate impact. Just two minutes after coming on, he combined brilliantly with Alexander Sorloth down the right before cutting the ball back for Martin Odegaard. The Norway captain arrived in space but side footed his effort over the crossbar from inside the penalty area.
Senegal gradually settled into the game and created their first major opening in the 28th minute. Kristoffer Ajer misjudged a defensive header, allowing Sadio Mane to release Nicolas Jackson. The striker found space on the left side of the box but blasted his shot high and wide.
Norway continued to threaten. In the 37th minute, Antonio Nusa delivered an excellent cross from the left which Haaland cleverly cushioned back across goal for Odegaard. The Arsenal midfielder controlled the ball on his chest and struck a low volley, but Mendy reacted brilliantly to block the effort.
Lamine Camara then tested his luck from long range four minutes before the break, but his shot rolled comfortably wide of Orjan Nyland’s goal.
Norway finally found the breakthrough just before half time. After Odegaard had already missed two excellent opportunities, Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly made a costly mistake. The defender’s error gifted Marcus Pedersen a chance inside the box and the substitute drilled a low shot that slipped through Mendy at the near post.
The goalkeeper nearly handed Norway a second moments later when another mistake allowed Haaland a sight of goal, but the Manchester City striker rattled the post from a tight angle.
Norway took complete control shortly after the restart. Senegal were attacking inside the Norway half when Odegaard intercepted a loose pass and launched a devastating counterattack. With four players racing forward against two defenders, the midfielder threaded a perfect pass to Haaland on the left. The striker waited for Koulibaly’s sliding challenge to pass before smashing a first time finish into the top corner for 2-0.
The goal was Haaland’s 58th in just 52 appearances for Norway and showcased the ruthless finishing that has made him one of the world’s most feared forwards.
Senegal responded immediately in the 53rd minute. Sadio Mane flicked the ball into the path of Ismaila Sarr, who displayed outstanding strength to hold off David Moller Wolfe before stretching to fire a powerful finish into the roof of the net via a slight touch from Nyland.
Lamine Camara nearly levelled the contest three minutes later, but he leaned back and sent his effort over the crossbar. Senegal then introduced Ibrahim Mbaye and Ismail Jakobs as they searched for a way back into the game.
Instead, Norway struck again in the 58th minute. Senegal twice failed to clear their lines inside the penalty area and Patrick Berg lifted a cross into the middle. Haaland reacted instinctively, steering a superb volley high into the net beyond Mendy for his second goal of the match and Norway’s third.
The finish highlighted Haaland’s remarkable form. He has now scored in six consecutive matches for Norway. Furthermore, he became just the sixth player in history to score multiple goals in each of his first two World Cup appearances and only the second to achieve the feat in the last 50 years after Harry Kane in 2018.
Senegal’s problems deepened in the 63rd minute when Mendy was forced off through injury. Goalkeeper Mory Diaw entered the action for only his sixth international appearance on his 33rd birthday, while Pathe Ciss replaced Lamine Camara.
The African side continued to push forward. Sarr tested Nyland with a low strike in the 66th minute, while Pape Matar Sarr fired high over the bar from the edge of the area with nine minutes remaining.
The drama intensified deep into stoppage time. In the third minute of added time, Ajer failed to deal with a headed clearance and Nicolas Jackson reacted quickly to tee up Ismaila Sarr. The winger controlled brilliantly before lashing a clinical finish past Nyland to make it 3-2 and set up a tense finale.
Senegal threw everything forward in search of an equaliser. Ibrahim Mbaye almost found an opening in the 99th minute, while the visitors won a corner with one last opportunity remaining.
That final chance fell to Sarr. Rising highest at the near post in the 100th minute, he met the corner cleanly but could not keep his header down as it flew just over the crossbar. The miss denied him a memorable hat trick and denied Senegal a dramatic point.
When the final whistle arrived, Norway celebrated qualification for the Round of 32 after surviving a fierce late onslaught. Pedersen’s opener and Haaland’s brilliant brace ultimately proved decisive, although Sarr’s outstanding performance ensured the contest remained alive until the very last second.
Norway advance to the knockout stage with a perfect start to their campaign, while Senegal must now defeat Iraq and hope results elsewhere go their way to keep their World Cup dream alive.
