Erling Haaland scores twice as Norway beat Senegal 3-2

Erling Haaland struck twice to guide Norway to a 3-2 victory over Senegal at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on Monday, June 22, 2026, extending his World Cup tally to four goals. The win secured Norway's second‑place finish in Group I and guaranteed progression to the knockout stage. Haaland opened his scoring account in the 48th minute, receiving a through ball from Martin Ødegaard and firing a left‑footed shot past the outstretched left hand of goalkeeper Édouard Mendy. The strike completed an end‑to‑end counter‑attack that gave Norway a 2‑0 lead. Six minutes later Haaland doubled his tally, threading a pass from Patrick Berg and volleying the ball with his weaker right foot from eight yards out. The goal pushed the score to 3‑0 and cemented his brace.

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Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, who entered the match in the 13th minute for the injured Julian Ryerson, scored in the 43rd minute. His effort came after Martin Ødegaard’s centering pass was cleared by Kalidou Koulibaly and fell to Pedersen, who slotted the ball past Mendy. Senegal’s Ismaïla Sarr responded with a goal in the 53rd minute and added a second in stoppage time, the third minute of added time after the half‑hour mark. His late strike reduced the deficit to 3‑2 but could not force a comeback. Manchester City striker Haaland’s four goals placed him level with Kylian Mbappé and one behind Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race. He also became only the second player in the past 50 years, after Harry Kane in 2018, to score twice in each of his first two World Cup matches. The match, officiated by referee Wilton Pereira Sampaio, saw Édouard Mendy forced off with an injury in the 63rd minute. Norway, making its first World Cup appearance since 1998, secured progression from Group I alongside France and will face Les Bleus for top spot, while Senegal, still winless, must beat Iraq to stay alive.