Erling Haaland made an explosive and memorable FIFA World Cup debut, scoring twice to fire Norway to an emphatic 4-1 victory over Iraq at Boston Stadium. The resounding win marks a triumphant return for the Scandinavian team, sealing their first World Cup tournament win in 28 long years following a nearly three-decade absence from the global stage.
The Manchester City goal machine wasted little time living up to his billing. In the 29th minute, Haaland broke the ice by expertly poking home an pinpoint cross from left-back David Møller Wolfe at the back post to give Norway an early lead. Iraq reacted courageously and fought back to level the match ten minutes later. Veteran forward Aymen Hussein created his own slice of history, towering above the Norwegian defenders to plant a powerful header past keeper Ørjan Nyland off an Amir Al-Ammari cross, becoming just the second Iraqi player to score a World Cup goal.
However, parity lasted only four minutes due to a devastating defensive mix-up. Right before halftime, Haaland relentlessly closed down the Iraqi defense; a slow reaction and subsequent clearance from goalkeeper Jalal Hassan ricocheted off the striker’s leg and into the net, sending Norway into the tunnel with a 2-1 advantage.
The second half was a completely controlled affair by the Norwegians. Substitute defender Leo Østigård put the game out of reach in the 76th minute, connecting cleanly with a cross from captain Martin Ødegaard to head home Norway’s third. The final blow came deep into stoppage time when Iraq’s afternoon went from bad to worse. Aymen Hussein, who had given his nation life earlier in the match, accidentally deflected a ball into his own net in the 96th minute to finalize the 4-1 scoreline.
With this masterclass performance, Haaland has expanded his logic-defying international record to a staggering 57 goals in just 51 appearances. The decisive victory propels Norway right to the summit of Group I on goal difference as teams prepare for their next group-stage tests.
Group I Standings & Results
Following the opening matches of the group stage, Norway leads the pack thanks to an impressive goal difference.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | 🇳🇴 Norway | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 3 |
| 2 | 🇫🇷 France | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| 3 | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
| 4 | 🇮🇶 Iraq | 1 | 0 |
