- Full Time
- 96'Aymen Hussein (OG)
- Zaid Tahseen86'
- 81'P. Berg on for M. Ødegaard
- Mohanad Ali on for Ibrahim Bayesh78'
- 76'L. Østigård
- Ahmed Qasem on for Ali Jasim73'
- Mustafa Saadoon on for Hussein Ali73'
- 73'L. Østigård on for D. Møller Wolfe
- 73'O. Bobb on for A. Sørloth
- 73'K. Thorstvedt on for F. Aursnes
- 73'A. Schjelderup on for A. Nusa
- Marko Farji on for Ali Al Hamadi59'
- Zidane Iqbal on for Zaid Ismael59'
- Half Time
- 43'E. Haaland
- Aymen Hussein39'
- 29'E. Haaland
- Kick Off
-
1
Erling Haaland2 - 2Leo Østigård1
- 3
Aymen Hussein1
- 1Erling Haaland5
- 2Ali Al Hamadi3
- 3Aymen Hussein3
- 1Merchas Doski5
- 2Zaid Ismael3
- 3Julian Ryerson3
Norway were able to overcome a difficult challenge from a gutsy Iraq side in Massachussetts with Erling Haaland’s brace the key difference in a 4-1 win.
Haaland opened the scoring with a tap-in and gave Norway the lead again with a freak goal after Aymen Hussein had drawn Iraq level. Leo Ostigard’s and Kristian Thorstvedt’s headers eventually secured the points for the Europeans.
Iraq had the better of the opening stages, with Ali Al Hamadi coming closest to breaking the deadlock on 12 minutes with a shot that flew over the Norway crossbar.
It didn’t take too long for Erling Haaland to open his World Cup account though. Antonio Nusa played a nice pass into the path of David Moller Wolfe, whose inch-perfect cross found the outstretched leg of the Manchester City man to give Gresshingstene the lead.
Norway enjoyed some nice interlinking attacking play without looking too fluent in the first half, one such move resulting in a Martin Odegaard shot that was dragged wide of the post.
Graham Arnold’ss side were able to find an equaliser though. Some nice work down the left opened up space for Amir Al Ammari to cross onto the head of Aymen Hussein whose towering header drew Iraq level.
But Haaland restored Norway’s advantage and doubled his tally on 38 minutes as he chased down goalkeeper Jalal Hassan who smashed his clearance into the 25 year old with the ball rebounding into the net.
Iraq came close to drawing level again three times in injury time of the first-half. Ibrahim Bayesh had a close-range volley well blocked, Al Hamadi raced clear and had a deflected shot trickle just wide before Akam Hashims’ brilliantly struck effort flew just narrowly over.
The Lions of Mesopotamia continued to battle hard in the second half and Hussein Ali had an attempted volley from a narrow angle that flashed over Orjand Nylan’s crossbar.
But Norway’s strength in depth eventually won them the game. Kristian Thorstvedt and Leo Ostigard came off the bench and when the former won a corner, the latter was able to get a free run to head his side into a comfortable lead.
Haaland’s hat-trick opportunity came and went as he pounced on another loose defensive pass but this time Hassan was his equal with his smart stop to his right.
Kristian Thorstvedt headed in a fourth from very close range in the dying seconds to add a gloss that perhaps the Norwegian performance didn’t quite deserve.
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