Haaland’s Debut Brace Launches Norway’s World Cup Return with 4-1 Win Over Iraq

Norway's return to the FIFA World Cup stage after nearly three decades was emphatically orchestrated by its biggest star. Erling Haaland marked his tournament debut with a clinical first-half double, powering the Scandinavians to a 4-1 victory over Iraq in their Group I opener at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on June 16, 2026. The result sees Norway draw level with France at the top of the group, an ideal start in what has been labeled the 'Group of Death' .

Haaland’s long-awaited arrival on football’s grandest stage took just 29 minutes to materialize. The Manchester City striker, who missed the 2022 tournament in Qatar and a subsequent European Championship, opened his World Cup account with a poacher’s finish. Sander Berge slipped David Møller Wolfe into the left side of the penalty area, and his low cross was turned home at the back post by Haaland, giving Norway a deserved lead .

Iraq, managed by Graham Arnold, responded with a moment of quality against the run of play. In the 39th minute, forward Aymen Hussein rose to meet an Amir Al-Ammari cross and generated immense power on his header to beat goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland, stunning the heavily Norwegian crowd and leveling the score at 1-1 .

The parity was short-lived. A defensive miscommunication from Iraq—a careless back pass intended for goalkeeper Jalal Hassan—allowed Haaland to pounce. The striker intercepted the ball, raced through, and blasted it into the upper netting to restore Norway’s lead at 2-1 just before the halftime whistle, securing his brace on debut .

Norway tightened their grip in the second half. Center-back Leo Østigård, who had come on as a substitute, met a pinpoint Martin Ødegaard corner with a close-range header to make it 3-1 in the 76th minute, effectively sealing the win . The evening concluded on a cruel note for Aymen Hussein, who inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the sixth minute of stoppage time, finalizing the 4-1 scoreline .

Speaking after the match, Haaland reflected on the significance of the moment, both personally and for his country. "It felt missing in 2022 in Qatar and also 2024 in the European Championship, so today is a big day for the whole country," he said .

For Iraq, the challenge in the 'Group of Death' only intensifies from here, with matches against France and Senegal still to come. Pre-match, coach Graham Arnold had described his side as "absurdly hard-working" and a "structured squad" capable of surprising the world, emphasizing a disciplined collective identity . That discipline faltered against Norway's individual class, particularly Haaland's lethal finishing, leaving Arnold and his team with significant work to do if they hope to advance from Group I .