4-1 final
Group I opener
Haaland scored twice
Odegaard assist
Norway opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 4-1 win over Iraq in Group I, with Erling Haaland at the center of the result.
Haaland gave Norway the lead in the 28th minute, attacking a cross from the left and forcing the ball over the line despite close attention from Iraq's defenders.
Iraq responded almost immediately. Ayman Hussein rose between Norwegian defenders and headed in to make it 1-1, briefly halting Norway's early momentum.
Ten minutes later, Haaland pressed Iraq's back line and chased down a short back pass. The attempted clearance struck him and rebounded into the net, restoring Norway's lead and giving him a second goal.
Norway added control after the break. In the 77th minute, Martin Odegaard supplied the delivery for Leo Ostigard to head in Norway's third.
The final goal came late after Haaland's aerial presence helped create another scramble near the right side of the goal, with Iraq turning the ball into their own net to make it 4-1.
The result put Norway on three points to start Group I and underlined why Haaland and Odegaard make them a dangerous tournament side.