BOSTON — Erling Haaland didn’t just show up for his World Cup debut. He hijacked it. And then Iraq’s goalkeeper handed him a second goal in the most ridiculous way imaginable.
Norway, making its first appearance on soccer’s biggest stage in 28 years, steamrolled Iraq 4-1 at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday. But the final score barely captures the chaos that unfolded over 90 minutes — a match that featured a politically charged equalizer, a goalkeeping gaffe that will live in tournament lore, and a star striker who just can’t stop scoring.
The Breakthrough Everyone Expected
It took Haaland 29 minutes to open his World Cup account. Sander Berge slipped a pass to David Moller Wolfe on the left edge of the box, and Wolfe’s low cross found Haaland at the back post for a simple tap-in. The Manchester City machine had his first goal in a Norway shirt on the world stage, and the Norwegian contingent in the stands erupted.
Minutes later, Haaland nearly turned provider, feeding Alexander Sorloth for a shot that was blocked. Martin Odegaard followed up with a blast wide. Norway was dominant, crisp, and dangerous. Then Iraq punched back.
A Goal That Meant More Than a Goal
In the 39th minute, Ali Jasim played a clever reverse pass to Amir Al-Ammari, whose cross found Aymen Hussein. The striker planted a low header into the corner — and the celebration that followed was something bigger than a goal.
Hussein had spent nearly seven hours being questioned by U.S. authorities at O’Hare Airport last week upon arrival. The Iraqi federation had raised concerns about potential mistreatment. On the pitch, Hussein channeled that frustration into a moment of pure release. Players mobbed him. Fans in the stands went wild. For a few minutes, Iraq was level with a tournament dark horse.
It lasted exactly four minutes.
The Gift That Kept on Giving
Iraq goalkeeper Jalal Hassan received a weak back pass, tried to clear it, and instead launched the ball directly off Haaland’s body. The ricochet bounced into the net. Norway led 2-1, and Haaland had his brace — the second goal coming with zero intentional effort.
“You can’t write that stuff,” one fan posted online. “Haaland doesn’t even need to try.”
Iraq nearly pulled level before halftime. Ali Al Hamadi broke through one-on-one but saw Kristoffer Ajer’s last-ditch block deflect his shot just wide. Akam Hashim then volleyed over from the edge of the box. The score remained 2-1 at the break.
Norway’s Second-Half Knockout
Iraq pressed for an equalizer after the restart. Hussein headed wide. Hussein Ali fired over. But Norway absorbed the pressure and landed the decisive blow in the 76th minute. Leo Ostigard rose highest to meet an Odegaard corner and powered a header past Hassan — 3-1, and the game was effectively over.
Hassan redeemed himself slightly with a sharp save to deny Haaland a hat trick, but there was no stopping a fourth goal in stoppage time. Haaland headed the ball across the face of goal, and Kristian Thorstvedt bundled it toward the line. The final touch came off Iraq defender Aymen Hussein as he tried — and failed — to keep it out. The goal was officially ruled an own goal, but the result was the same: 4-1.
What This Means
Norway now sits atop Group I, having beaten a dangerous Iraq side while 2022 runners-up France beat Senegal 3-1 in the group’s other match. The Norwegians have officially put the rest of the group on notice. They’re not just happy to be here.
For Iraq, the loss stings — but the fight they showed, and the emotional weight of Hussein’s equalizer, suggests they won’t go quietly. Their next match against France will tell us a lot about whether this group has more surprises in store.
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