The Norwegian national football team has made a historic breakthrough, starting their performance at the 2026 World Cup with a triumphant victory. In the first match of Group I, Ståle Solbakken's men crushed the Iraqi national team with a score of 4:1. For the Scandinavians, this match held sacred significance: the country had not seen its team at the World Cup for a full 28 years, since 1998.
Dominance of the "Vikings" and Haaland's brace
As favorites, the Norwegians immediately pinned the Iraqis down on their half of the field. They managed to break through the defense of the Asian team, which had advanced through the intercontinental playoffs, in the 29th minute. Immediately after a short water break, David Wolf made a sharp cross, and Erling Haaland lightning-fast sent the ball into the right corner. This was the superstar's first goal in his career at World Cups.
Iraq responded boldly: in the 39th minute, striker Ayman Hussein restored parity. However, the joy of Graham Arnold's charges was short-lived. Just four minutes later, Haaland took advantage of a defensive error by the opponent, completed his brace, and put Norway back in the lead with a score of 2:1. Before halftime, the Iraqis had two excellent chances, but Zaid Takhssin and Akam Hashem lacked accuracy.
The turning point and tactical trickery
In the second half, Iraq unexpectedly seized the initiative. The Scandinavians consciously gave up the ball and switched to a tight defense, barely holding back the opponent's onslaught. The turning point once again became the hydration break in the middle of the half. It slowed down the tempo of the Iraqis, and coach Ståle Solbakken made a radical rotation, bringing four fresh players onto the field.
The coach's decision worked instantly. In the 76th minute, defender Leo Estigarribia, who had just come on as a substitute, perfectly finished a corner kick, increasing the lead to 3:1. The final point in the match was scored by Ayman Hussein himself. The author of Iraq's only goal, during defensive actions in the 90+6 minute, deflected the ball into his own net, scoring an unfortunate own goal and fixing the final score at 4:1.
Tournament standing and upcoming matches
Thanks to a convincing victory with a three-goal difference, Norway managed to overtake the formidable French team, which had defeated Senegal (3:1) the day before. Having an equal number of points, the "Vikings" topped Group I thanks to a better goal difference.
In the next round, fans are in for a fierce battle. The Norwegian national team will take to the field against a weakened Senegal on the night of Tuesday, June 23. Meanwhile, the Iraqi team faces a super-difficult challenge in the form of Kylian Mbappé and his France.
For a long time, Norway was considered the main underdog in European qualifying tournaments, regularly missing major competitions despite having superstars in the squad. Hopes for a historic breakthrough were linked precisely to the duo of Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard. Now, thanks to this victory, the Scandinavians have proven that they are ready to fight for high places at the most prestigious tournament on the planet.