Surely nobody expected anything different. Erling Haaland arrival on the biggest football stage of all involved a match-defining performance. Kylian Mbappé had laid down a marker with two goals in France’s win over Senegal. Haaland responded in kind, courtesy of a first-half double of his own. The Manchester City striker’s quest for the Golden Boot depends on Norway enjoying a decent run in the event. Their hopes for that extended stay are so hugely reliant on Haaland. Theirs is a powerful combination. The name on the back of the shirt is different for club versus country – Haaland becomes Braut Haaland – yet the output is identically ruthless. This is a 25-year-old you simply cannot take your eyes off. Iraq did that twice and suffered as a consequence.
The team who had waited 28 years for a World Cup return saw off the one who had not participated for 40. Iraq emerge with great credit from a match where the more than 30 world ranking places between the sides was not particularly obvious. Norway will need to improve, especially in the defensive third, where they looked occasionally shaky. Mbappé will have taken note, with France to face Norway in the final game of this section. Yet this was Haaland’s day. Martin Ødegaard was less visible than his fellow A-lister, albeit the Arsenal man created his country’s third goal. The captain was substituted shortly afterwards, as if to save him for sterner tests.
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