Erling Haaland has scored twice to raise his World Cup goals total to four and Norway advanced to the round of 32 with a 3-2 win over Senegal.
Substitute Marcus Pederson put the Vikings ahead in the 43rd minute and Haaland kept up his incredible goals streak in the 48th and 58th minutes to build a 3-1 lead on Monday (Tuesday AEST) in East Rutherford.
First he ran onto Martin Odegaard’s pass and put a left-footed shot past the outstretched left hand of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, capping an end-to-end counterattack for a 2-0 lead.
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For his second goal, Haaland tunnelled through the defence and eight yards out raised his weaker right foot to volley in Patrick Berg’s pass. Haaland raised a hand to an ear to inspire the thousands of red clad Norway supporters behind the north goal who performed the Viking Row — chanting “Ro!” while mimicking oarsmen.
Haaland has 24 goals in his last 12 international games — scoring at least once in every match — and 59 in 52 appearances. The 25-year-old Manchester City striker joined England’s Harry Kane in 2018 as the only players in the last 50 years with two-goal games in their first two World Cup appearances.
He is second in the Golden Boot race, one behind Argentina’s Lionel Messi (5) and tied with France’s Kylian Mbappe (4). Haaland nearly got another in first-half added time, hitting a post after Mendy lost control of the ball.
Ismaila Sarr scored in the 53rd and 93rd minutes for the Lions of Teranga.
Making their first World Cup appearance since 1998, Norway, after beating Iraq 4-1 first up, are assured of advancing from Group I along with France. The Vikings need to beat Les Bleus on Friday for first place and what would appear to be an easier path in the knockout bracket.
While not eliminated, Senegal are 0-2 in a World Cup for the first time and need a win over Iraq (0-2) to have any chance of advancing as a third-placed team.
