
17 June 2026
Haaland Fires Norway Past Iraq With Debut Double
Erling Haaland marked his World Cup debut with two goals as Norway beat Iraq 4-1, though he was denied a hat-trick by a sharp save late on.
Erling Haaland announced himself on the World Cup stage with a brace as Norway thrashed Iraq 4-1 in Group I, according to The Guardian. The striker had been hyped as the finest goalscorer on the planet by his own coach Ståle Solbakken before kick-off, though Haaland himself pushed back on that billing in his post-match comments.
The Guardian reports that Iraq's goalkeeper Hassan denied Haaland a hat-trick with a fine late save, keeping the striker from overtaking Kylian Mbappé in the scoring charts. A substitute, Leo Østigård, also got in on the act by heading home from a Martin Ødegaard corner to help seal the result.
Haaland was not exactly peripheral in the second half, but Iraq could take a sliver of comfort from the fact that Norway's star had fewer clear chances after the break. Still, the message from Group I is clear: Haaland is up and running, and the tournament is only just beginning.
Sources
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