Haaland Brace on World Cup Debut: Norway 4-1 Iraq (2026 World Cup Report)
After a 28-year wait, Haaland finally arrived on the World Cup stage and announced it with a brace. In their Group I opener on 16 June 2026 at Boston Stadium, Norway beat Iraq 4-1, with the Manchester City striker’s two goals the sharpest edge of a comfortable win for Stale Solbakken’s side. Follow every fixture on our live scores hub.
Haaland breaks the deadlock on 29 minutes
Norway pressed early through physicality and set pieces. Haaland headed a corner over the bar on 20 minutes, but nine minutes later he made no mistake: David Moller Wolfe crossed from the left and Haaland tapped in at the near post for his first-ever World Cup goal. It continued his habit of scoring instantly in every new competition he enters, from the Austrian Bundesliga and the German Bundesliga to the Premier League and Champions League.
Aymen Hussein levels — Iraq’s first World Cup goal in 40 years
Iraq, back at a World Cup for the first time since 1986, refused to fold. On 39 minutes striker Aymen Hussein rose highest to power home a bullet header for 1-1. It was only Iraq’s second World Cup goal ever and their first in four decades — a remarkable response from a player who had been held and questioned for around seven hours by US authorities on arrival earlier in the month. The goal briefly lifted Iraq and their travelling support.
A second strike before half-time
The parity lasted just four minutes. On 43 minutes Haaland pounced on a defensive error, nipping in front of goalkeeper Jalal Hassan to intercept Zaid Tahseen’s weak back-pass and roll into an empty net. Norway led 2-1 at the break and never looked back, even as the second-half tempo slowed at times to that of a training game, with Martin Odegaard pulling the strings in midfield.
Ostigard and a late own goal seal it
Substitute Leo Ostigard ran unmarked to head home Odegaard’s corner on 76 minutes for 3-1. Haaland passed up a hat-trick when he fired straight at Hassan, but deep in stoppage time his towering header was turned into his own net by the unfortunate Hussein for 4-1.
Group outlook
The win gives Norway an early edge in a tough group alongside France and Senegal. With Odegaard and Haaland leading this golden generation, their last-16 ambitions look very much alive — and they will be eyeing far more than that. Read more in our match report section and track stars in our player profiles.
