Erling Haaland struck twice in the opening half to give Norway a 2-1 lead over Iraq in their Group I opener at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday, capitalizing on sustained pressure and a costly defensive mistake at Gillette Stadium.
Norway controlled much of the first half with aggressive pressing and patient possession, repeatedly forcing Iraq into mistakes while building attacks from midfield. Stale Solbakken’s side dictated the tempo early, although it had to wait nearly half an hour before converting its dominance into goals.
Haaland produced Norway’s first clear opportunity in the 21st minute, rising to meet a cross with a header that sailed just over the crossbar. The Manchester City striker remained a constant threat as Norway continued to push forward.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 29th minute after a flowing team move. David Moller Wolfe delivered a precise cross from the left flank, and Haaland timed his run perfectly before steering a close-range finish into the net to give Norway a deserved 1-0 advantage.
Despite spending much of the half under pressure, Iraq gradually found opportunities to attack on the counter. Ali Al-Hamadi caused occasional problems for Norway’s back line, while the visitors looked increasingly dangerous exploiting space behind the Norwegian defense.
Iraq drew level in the 39th minute through Aymen Hussein. Ali Jasim floated an accurate cross into the penalty area, where Hussein rose above his marker and guided a header beyond goalkeeper Orjan Nyland to make it 1-1.
The equalizer briefly shifted the momentum toward Iraq as the Lions of Mesopotamia gained confidence and committed more players forward. However, their resurgence lasted only a few minutes before a defensive lapse handed Norway another opportunity.
In the 43rd minute, goalkeeper Jalal Hassan hesitated while attempting to deal with a back pass under heavy pressure from Haaland. The Norwegian striker pounced on the loose ball, dispossessed Hassan and calmly rolled his finish into an empty net to restore Norway’s lead at 2-1.
Iraq nearly found another equalizer during first-half stoppage time. In the third minute of added time, Aymen Hussein flicked the ball into the path of Ali Al-Hamadi before an Iraqi effort struck the far post.
The rebound sparked loud appeals for a handball after another attempt bounced inside the penalty area, but replays showed the ball had struck a Norwegian player’s knee rather than his arm. The referee waved play on and did not award a penalty.
Iraq continued pressing through the closing moments of the half and earned a corner, but Norway’s defense held firm to preserve its 2-1 advantage heading into the break.
With Haaland already scoring twice and Norway controlling large stretches of the contest, Solbakken’s side entered the second half in a strong position to secure all three points in its opening World Cup fixture, while Iraq faced the challenge of overturning the deficit after showing flashes of attacking quality despite limited possession.
