Norway qualified for the World Cup knockout stages for the first time since 1998 on Monday, holding off a late Senegal fightback to secure a thrilling 3-2 victory at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
The match pitted Norway’s clinical European efficiency against Senegal’s relentless African flair. After a cagey opening half-hour, Ståle Solbakken’s side broke the deadlock just before the break when right-back Marcus Holmgren Pedersen sneaked into the box to fire Norway ahead in the 43rd minute.
Norway struck twice quickly after the restart. Erling Haaland scored his first of the match in the 48th minute, collecting a precise pass from Martin Ødegaard and smashing it home. Senegal pulled one back in the 53rd minute when Ismaïla Sarr produced a brilliant solo effort, but Haaland restored the two-goal cushion just five minutes later, converting a clinical low drive inside the penalty area.
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Sarr scored deep in stoppage time to set up a grandstand finish, but Norway held on to secure the victory.
Norway finished with 12 shots, six on target, while Senegal managed 15 shots, five on target. Senegal held 53 percent possession to Norway’s 47 percent.
Haaland became the first Norwegian player in history to score multiple goals in consecutive World Cup matches, following his goalscoring display in Matchday 1. Sarr became the first African player to score a World Cup brace against a European opponent since 2018.
According to a report by Accra Street Journal, the result confirms Norway’s qualification to the knockout rounds alongside France, who also secured their place earlier in the day. Senegal and Iraq are eliminated and will play for pride on the final matchday.
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Before Kickoff
Pre-Match Report & News
The Stakes
Norway Team News
Senegal Team News
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- The Veteran Shield: Captain [Kalidou Koulibaly](1.1.4, 1.1.9) carries the massive responsibility of man-marking Haaland.
- Attacking Impact: Teenage winger Ibrahim Mbaye impressed by scoring off the bench against France. He is pushing heavily for minutes, though the veteran trident of Mané, Sarr, and Jackson is tipped to remain unchanged.
Projected Starting Lineups
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- Goalkeeper: Ørjan Nyland
- Defenders: Julian Ryerson, Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjørn Heggem, David Møller Wolfe
- Midfielders: Sander Berge, Fredrik Aursnes, Martin Ødegaard
- Forwards: Antonio Nusa, Erling Haaland, Alexander Sørloth
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- Goalkeeper: Édouard Mendy
- Defenders: Krépin Diatta, Kalidou Koulibaly, Moussa Niakhaté, El Hadji Malick Diouf
- Defensive Midfielders: Pape Gueye, Idrissa Gana Gueye
- Attacking Midfielders: Ismaïla Sarr, Lamine Camara (or Habib Diarra), Sadio Mané
- Striker: Nicolas Jackson
Fast Match Facts & Historical Records
- Competitive Debuts: This is the first-ever competitive international meeting between Norway and Senegal. Their only prior encounter was an international friendly back in March 2006, which Senegal won 2-1 on home soil.
- Haaland’s Golden Chasing: After scoring twice on his World Cup debut, Erling Haaland is looking to become the first Norwegian player to score in back-to-back World Cup games since 1998.
- Mané’s Long-Awaited Stage: After missing the entire Qatar 2022 tournament due to a heartbreaking pre-tournament injury, 34-year-old Sadio Mané is highly determined to score his first goal of the 2026 edition.
- Analytical Probabilities: Statistical match models rate Norway as the slight favorites heading into the clash with a 42.2% win probability, compared to a 30.4% chance for a Senegalese victory.
- Where to Watch: The blockbuster game will air live across the United States on FOX (English). Fans in the United Kingdom can watch the broadcast live on ITV1 or stream via ITVX.
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on June 23, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
