Erling Haaland Leads Norway Past Senegal in World Cup Thriller, Sets Up France Showdown

Norway is through to the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and once again it was Erling Haaland who did the heavy lifting. The Manchester City striker scored twice in a 3-2 win over Senegal on Monday night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, a result that secures Norway's place in the knockout rounds and sets up a high-stakes Group I finale against France on Friday. It was Norway's first World Cup appearance since 1998, and with two wins from two matches, the Vikings have already matched a benchmark few expected: more victories in this single tournament than in any of their previous World Cup campaigns combined. A Five-Goal Slog in New Jersey The match didn't unfold as cleanly as the scoreline from Haaland's brace might suggest. Norway had to survive a five-goal thriller against Senegal, with the result confirming their place in the last 32. Marcus Pedersen, who entered in just the 13th minute for his World Cup debut after Julian Ryerson was ruled out with a nagging injury, opened the scoring in the 43rd minute. The goal came courtesy of a defensive mix-up: Martin Ødegaard's pass was cleared straight into Pedersen's path by Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly, and Pedersen's shot deflected in off goalkeeper Édouard Mendy's hand. Haaland nearly had a second-half head start before the break, striking the post late in first-half stoppage time after another error from Mendy. He didn't have to wait long to make amends. Three minutes after the restart, Haaland ran onto an Ødegaard through-ball and slotted home left-footed to double Norway's lead. Ten minutes later, he turned provider into finisher again, tunneling into the box and rising to volley in a pass from Patrick Berg with his weaker right foot for his second of the night. That put Norway up 3-0, but Senegal refused to fold. Ismaila Sarr scored twice for Senegal, a brace that mirrored Haaland's own, pulling a goal back in the 53rd minute off a flicked assist from Sadio Mané, then adding a second deep into stoppage time after Randal Kolo Muani's unselfish pass set him through. The late surge made for a nervy finish, but Norway held on for the 3-2 win — a result Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken summed up bluntly afterward: "If we had just played slightly worse, then we would be in trouble." Haaland's Historic Run Continues The two goals took Haaland's World Cup tally to four from just two matches, making him the joint-second-highest scorer in the tournament so far, one behind Argentina's Lionel Messi and level with France's Kylian Mbappé in the race for the Golden Boot. He is also now Norway's all-time leading scorer at World Cups, and became only the sixth player in tournament history to score multiple goals in each of his first two World Cup appearances. It extends a streak that has bordered on absurd: Haaland has now scored in every one of his last 12 international appearances for Norway, racking up 24 goals across that span and 59 in 52 caps overall for his country. Solbakken, never short of praise for his star forward, didn't hold back when asked about Haaland's importance to the team. "He is the best striker," Solbakken said. "He is not playing for France or Argentina. He scores for Norway." The coach also noted Haaland could have finished the night with even more. "He did miss an open goal," Solbakken said. "He could have scored even four." Haaland, for his part, was characteristically matter-of-fact about his finishing instincts. "It's my specialty to score goals," he said after the match. "I'm just really good at scoring goals." A Viking Celebration The win sparked one of the tournament's more memorable post-match scenes. Norway's players and staff packed into a tight ten-row formation just inside the penalty area, facing their traveling supporters, with Haaland seated at the front as Ødegaard banged out a rhythm on a bongo drum. The group and the crowd traded chants of "Ro!" — Norwegian for "row" — while mimicking rowing motions, a tournament tradition that's quickly become known as the Viking Row. "It was fun," Solbakken said through an interpreter. "We will not be rowing after the World Cup, but this can be a gimmick during the tournament." What's Next for Both Sides With the win, Norway (2-0) has already clinched advancement from Group I alongside France, regardless of what happens in their head-to-head meeting on Friday. That match still carries plenty of weight, though: a win over Les Bleus would hand Norway top spot in the group and what is expected to be a more favorable path through the knockout bracket. Senegal's situation is far more precarious. The 0-2 start marks the first time the Lions of Teranga have lost their opening two matches at a World Cup, and they now need a win over Iraq — also winless at 0-2 — in their final group game just to have a chance of sneaking through as one of the tournament's best third-placed teams. For Solbakken, the focus now shifts quickly to preparation. "We haven't started that planning yet," he said. "We will get back to camp and make good restitution, because we need that after a very tough game, and there will be other players who play that game" — a hint that he may rotate his squad before facing France. For Haaland and Norway, though, Monday night was another reminder of why this is a team few opponents will want to face in the knockout rounds. With the Golden Boot race tightening and a squad finally delivering on decades of unfulfilled World Cup hopes, the Vikings have given their country something to believe in.