Norway defeated Senegal 3-2 on June 22, 2026, in a Group I World Cup match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, advancing to the tournament’s knockout round for the first time since 1998 [1, 2, 3]. Marcus Pedersen gave Norway the lead in the 43rd minute, but Senegal's Ismaila Sarr equalized with two goals, one at 53 minutes and another in stoppage time. Erling Haaland scored twice shortly after halftime, in the 48th and 58th minutes, to secure the win [1, 2, 4].
About 80,000 fans witnessed the match, with many Norwegian supporters chanting their iconic "Viking Row" as they celebrated the victory [5, 6]. Senegal’s goalkeeper Edouard Mendy left the match due to injury and was replaced by Mory Diaw [4].
Haaland’s two goals marked his second consecutive brace in the World Cup, raising his tournament total to four goals so far [1, 7]. He now has 59 goals in 52 international appearances and is maintaining a 12-match goal-scoring streak for Norway [7, 4]. Norway coach Stale Solbakken hailed Haaland as "the best striker" and backed him to compete for the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer. Solbakken said, "It's easier to win the Golden Boot when you play for France and Argentina, but we'll try to give Erling more games, and more help also in the next games. So he's on fire and I'm very happy for him that he can score on the biggest stage" [3].
Haaland downplayed Norway’s chances of winning the World Cup outright while emphasizing the significance of their progress, stating, "I don't care, we are through - they'll probably beat us and go on and win the whole tournament," and "To qualify for the first time in 28 years and going through the group stage, yes, I would say so. To win the World Cup, absolutely not. I think let's be a little realistic here, and let's be happy, every single Norwegian on the planet today" [7].
Norway and France remain tied atop Group I with six points each after two matches. The group winner will be decided when the two teams face off in their final match on June 26 [1, 2, 3].
