Haaland double sends Norway into World Cup knockout stage

Erling Haaland struck twice again and Norway survived Senegal 3-2 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, clinching a place in the World Cup round of 32. The result extended Norway’s winning streak to two matches and ended a 28-year wait for a knockout-stage appearance in the tournament.

Marcus Holmgren Pedersen gave Norway the lead in the 43rd minute, Haaland doubled it four minutes after halftime, and the striker scored again in the 58th minute to put the Norwegians in command. Senegal kept coming back through Ismaïla Sarr, who struck in the 53rd minute and again in stoppage time at 90+3 to force a tense finish. Musa Niakhaté nearly delivered a late equalizer, but Norway held on.

The win lifted Haaland to four goals in the tournament, making him the central figure in Norway’s surge from qualifier to serious knockout-stage threat. Norway had opened the competition with a 4-1 victory over Iraq, a start that already showed the scale of the attack, and the latest performance suggested that the scoring power has carried over into a higher-pressure setting. Norway has lost only once in its last 18 matches, a run that has turned a promising squad into one of the tournament’s most efficient sides.

The question now is whether the defense can keep pace with the attack. Senegal found room twice, and Norway’s late wobble underlined how quickly margins can shrink once the knockout rounds begin. Norway will meet France in Boston on Friday, June 27, 2026, in a direct battle for first place in the group, with the winner likely to take a more favorable path deeper into the World Cup.