- Norway defeated Senegal 3-2 to reach the World Cup knockout stage for the first time since 1998.
- Erling Haaland scored two goals and Markus Holmgrén Pedersen added one to secure the historic victory.
- Norway and France both advanced from Group I with six points, while Senegal and Iraq face elimination.
Kathmandu, Nepal: Norway has advanced to the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup after registering a hard-fought 3–2 victory over Senegal in a Group ‘I’ match held at the New York–New Jersey Stadium on Tuesday morning.
The victory marks a historic return for Norway, which is participating in the World Cup after a gap of 28 years, having last featured in the 1998 edition of the tournament.
Norway opened the scoring in the 43rd minute of the first half through Markus Holmgrén Pedersen, who capitalized on a defensive lapse inside the Senegal penalty area to give his side a crucial lead before halftime.
Shortly after the restart, in the 48th minute, star striker Erling Haaland doubled Norway’s advantage with a composed finish, strengthening his team’s control of the match.
Senegal responded quickly in the 53rd minute when Ismaïla Sarr found the back of the net, reducing the deficit and bringing his side back into contention. However, Norway restored its two-goal cushion five minutes later, as Haaland scored his second goal of the match in the 58th minute.
Despite continued pressure from Senegal, particularly in the closing stages, Norway held firm. Sarr struck again in stoppage time to complete his personal brace, but it proved insufficient as the referee’s final whistle confirmed Norway’s 3–2 victory.
With this result, Norway has secured a place in the knockout stage with one match remaining in the group phase. In Group ‘I’, both Norway and France have accumulated six points each and have confirmed their progression to the next round, with France leading the group on goal difference.
Senegal and Iraq, meanwhile, remain without points after suffering consecutive defeats and face elimination concerns ahead of their final group fixtures.
Norway’s qualification marks a significant milestone, ending a 28-year absence from World Cup knockout contention, with the team’s resurgence largely attributed to the form of Erling Haaland and a strong collective performance throughout the group stage.
