LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Erling Haaland scored twice as Norway defeated Senegal 3-2 to secure a place in the FIFA World Cup knockout stage with one group match remaining.
The victory gave Norway six points from two Group I matches and guaranteed their progression to the last 32.
Norway took the lead late in the first half through Marcus Pedersen, who capitalised on a poor clearance by Kalidou Koulibaly after coming on as an early substitute.
Haaland doubled the advantage three minutes into the second half after collecting a through pass from captain Martin Ødegaard before calmly finishing past the goalkeeper.
The goal also saw the Manchester City striker become Norway’s highest-scoring player in FIFA World Cup history.
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Senegal responded through Ismaïla Sarr, who reduced the deficit shortly after the restart, but Haaland restored Norway’s two-goal cushion five minutes later with a composed side-footed finish that struck the underside of the crossbar before crossing the line.
Sarr grabbed his second goal deep into stoppage time to set up a tense finish, but Senegal could not find an equaliser as Norway held on for all three points.
“We knew it would be a difficult match, but the players showed great character,” Norway coach Ståle Solbakken said. “Qualifying with a game to spare is something we’re very proud of.”
Haaland said the team remained focused despite securing qualification.
“It’s always special to score for Norway, but the most important thing is that we’ve reached the next round. We want to keep improving,” he said.
The result keeps Norway at the top of Group I, while Senegal must now defeat Iraq in their final group match to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.
