FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Norway will go as far on this World Cup as Erling Haaland takes it.
In his match debut, he confirmed he’s greater than up for that problem.
Haaland scored two objectives, together with one off a defensive blunder, on Tuesday to propel Norway to a 4-1 victory over Iraq in Group I.
The Manchester Metropolis striker’s 56th and 57th worldwide objectives got here in Norway’s first look within the match since reaching the knockout spherical on the 1998 World Cup in France — two years earlier than Haaland was born.
Haaland stated he’ll do his finest to fulfill the expectations he created with this efficiency.
“After all I’ll attempt,” Haaland stated. “It’s about persevering with and don’t assume an excessive amount of. It’s troublesome at this stage. However I’ll give attention to (the) subsequent (recreation) and naturally be joyful. But in addition keep calm.”
Norway coach Stale Solbakken stated he had a sense Haaland was prepared after watching how unfastened he was within the staff’s final coaching session earlier than the match.
“You possibly can see that he lived as much as the event,” Solbakken stated. “The event wasn’t too huge for him.”
Leo Ostigard scored within the 76th minute off a nook kick from Martin Odegaard. An own-goal by Iraq ahead Aymen Hussein simply earlier than the ultimate whistle accomplished Norway’s scoring.
Hussein additionally scored for his staff, an equalizer simply 9 minutes after Haaland’s first strike.
Haaland put the Norwegians in entrance for good simply earlier than halftime when he sneaked in entrance of a poor again cross to Iraq goalkeeper Jalal Hassan. Haaland beat Hassan to the ball, preempting his tried clearance, after which used his shin to place the ball behind the web.
“It’s a kind of issues. It occurred,” Iraq coach Graham Arnold stated. “It’s what’s and we now have to study from it.”
Haaland’s first purpose, which got here within the twenty ninth minute, adopted a cross into the field from David Moller Wolfe. Haaland slid and used his proper heel to complete it off. It ignited waves of cheers from the Norway supporters, who dominated the stands clad in crimson as they broke out in synchronized Viking row chants.
Iraq, enjoying within the World Cup for simply the second time after debuting in 1986, held its personal with a large contingent of supporters that was principally concentrated behind one of many objectives.
That power helped Iraq briefly get again into the sport.
Within the thirty eighth minute, Amir Alammari corralled a ball on the baseline midway between the left nook and the purpose and fired a cross in entrance of the web. It eluded Norway’s defenders, permitting Hussein to punch a clear header that bounced underneath the hand of diving goalkeeper Orjan Nyland to even the rating at 1-1.
It was Hussein’s thirty fourth worldwide purpose. That features his profitable purpose towards Bolivia in Iraq’s last World Cup qualifying match in April that gave the nation the final spot within the 48-team match subject.
“It’s a proud second to be again within the World Cup after 40 years. To lose 4-1, it hurts,” Iraq’s Hussein Ali stated.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
