Boston: Haaland scored a brace on his FIFA World Cup debut with Leo Ostigard also on target as Norway beat Iraq 4-1 in Group I opener on Wednesday here at Boston Stadium. Both Norway and Iraq were back on the global stage for the first time this century, and it was a man that entered with a tick over a half-century of international goals, Erling Haaland, who handed Norway the early advantage.
Goalkeeper Orjan Nyland cycled through 14 passes before David Moller Wolfe delivered a cross from the left that Haaland slid in to poke home at the back post. At 35 years and 279 days, Orjan Nyland became the oldest player to make a World Cup appearance for Norway.
Ten minutes later, veteran forward Aymen Hussein became only the second Iraqi player to score a World Cup goal. He jumped to meet Amir Al-Ammari’s chipped cross and headed the ball past Nyland.
Erling Haaland then took advantage of a mix-up between Zaid Tahseen and goalkeeper Jalal Hassan to score, putting Norway back in front and giving them their first-ever halftime lead at a World Cup.
Just three and a half minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute, Leo Ostigård extended Norway's lead. Left completely unmarked at a corner, he moved toward the goal and powered a header past Hassan. A late Hussein own goal saw Norway complete an ultimately comfortable win to move to the head of the Group I standings.
Notably, Haaland became the sixth player to kick off World Cup 2026 with a double after Folarin Balogun (USA), Yasin Ayari (Sweden), Kai Havertz, Elijah Just and Kylian Mbappe. (IANS)
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