Norway beat Iraq 4-1 in World Cup return with Haaland double
Erling Haaland scored twice in his World Cup debut as Norway defeated Iraq 4-1 in their first match of the tournament after a 28-year absence.
Norway made a triumphant return to the FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, defeating Iraq 4-1 in their Group I opener. The match marked Norway's first appearance in the tournament since 1998.
Erling Haaland was the star of the show, scoring a brace on his World Cup debut. He opened the scoring, but Iraq's Aymen Hussein equalized shortly after. Haaland restored Norway's lead before halftime.
In the second half, Leo Ostigard extended Norway's advantage, and the result was sealed when Hussein accidentally scored an own goal, making it 4-1.
The win puts Norway top of Group I on goal difference, ahead of France who earlier beat Senegal in their opening match.
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