Norway has officially reached the World Cup knockout stages for the first time since 1998 following a thrilling 3-2 victory over Senegal. The historic win was fueled by an outstanding performance from star striker Erling Haaland, who punished a sloppy Senegalese defense with a crucial brace.

After a tense opening in front of a boisterous crowd, substitute Marcus Pedersen provided an unlikely spark by capitalizing on a defensive error to give Norway the lead just before half-time. Haaland then took center stage early in the second half, doubling the advantage with a clean finish off a perfect through ball from Martin Ødegaard.

Senegal fought back fiercely, with Ismaila Sarr scoring twice to keep the pressure on until the very end, including a tense stoppage-time strike. However, Haaland’s second goal of the night—a close-range tap-in—proved to be the decisive blow that weathered the late scare.

The Terminator’s dominant performance also etched his name in history, making him just the sixth player ever to score multiple goals in each of his first two World Cup appearances.

Norway is now level on points with France at the top of Group I. The two European powerhouses are set for a highly anticipated clash this Friday to determine who will claim the absolute top spot in the group.

Stay tuned to o9news for more live updates from the 2026 World Cup!