Erling Haaland Scores First World Cup Goals in Norway Victory

Erling Haaland scored his first World Cup goals. Norway beat Iraq four to one on Tuesday in their very first game at a major tournament in twenty-six years. It happened fast.
He turned in from close range for the lead around the twenty-ninth minute in Boston. But Aymen Hussein got level with a header. Just like that.
Haaland pounced on an error at the back again before half-time. He took his tally to fifty-seven international goals in just fifty-one matches. That’s what he does.
Then Leo Ostigard headed in for Norway, coming off the bench. Wrapping up the victory effectively. And then there was a fourth goal, deep into stoppage time. A Hussein own goal. Just noise at the end.
The win meant Norway topped Group I on goal difference. They were level with France on three points after Les Bleus beat Senegal earlier in the day. Next up? New Jersey on June twenty-second against those African powerhouses.
Iraq, though… they had a rough run getting here. No team faced that kind of road more perilous than them. Forty-eight and final qualifiers. Twenty-one matches stretching across eight hundred sixty-seven days just to get there.
Hussein, who scored the play-off winner against Bolivia, got held up by US immigration officials for hours after arriving with the squad ahead of Iraq’s first World Cup since eighteen eighty-six. Just waiting around. Questioned.
Norway hadn't played at this tournament since nineteen ninety-eight. Back then, coach Stale Solbakken was on the team that famously beat Brazil before getting knocked out in the last sixteen. Remember Euro two thousand? That was another time.
They breezed through qualifying. Twice they crushed Italy. Now they just want a golden generation. Haaland and Martin Odegaard leading the charge. Hoping to break something new in North America.
Solbakken predicted Haaland would make a "very big impact" at his first major finals. And yeah, he delivered that promise.
Antonio Nusa’s trickery was a real issue for Iraq. That incisive pass opened up space. David Moller Wolfe got clear. Then Haaland stretched out and steered in the low cross from the left.
Iraq didn't let that derail them though. They equalized ten minutes later, even after losing all their group games previously. They just kept fighting.
Amir Al-Ammari found a spot inside the area. Clipped in a cross. Hussein rose brilliantly to power a header past Orjan Nyland. That was another one for Norway.
But Iraq gifted Haaland his second goal of the contest. They just let it happen.
Goalkeeper Jalal Hassan, he was slow. He didn't react right away to a softly-hit backpass. The clearance smacked off Haaland’s shin and ricocheted straight into the net. A messy finish there.
Iraq responded again. Ibrahim Bayesh got blocked out. Ali Al-Hamadi tried to dribble wide. Akam Hashim then lashed out with a spectacular volley that just kissed the bar. Pure noise.
Ostigard nodded in Odegaard's corner at seventy-six minutes, sealing those points for Norway. Then Haaland was thwarted by Hassan when another loose pass sent him clean through. Seeking that hat-trick. It kept happening.
Written by Gree News Team — Senior Editorial Board
Gree News Team covers international news and global affairs at Gree News. Our collective of senior editors is dedicated to providing independent, accurate, and responsible journalism for a global audience.
More from Sports
View All
Argentina's Quest to Defend the World Cup Title
Argentina trying to become the third nation in history to actually defend that World Cup title. It starts now. Wednesday. Messi and La Albiceleste head into Algeria. Group J opener at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City. Just another step in this whole messy journey. Four years ago things looked complete
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team

Kylian Mbappé's World Cup Legacy and Match Highlights
Kylian Mbappé took his career World Cup tally to fourteen. Two behind Miroslav Klose. And Bradley Barcola was also on target for Les Bleus. That’s what happened in that game against Senegal, securing those three points for Didier Deschamps. Mbappe darted across the box. A brilliant pass from Michael
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team

The Collision of History and Possibility in Global Football Narratives
the air around that moment, you know? it wasn't just football. it was something else entirely. a strange collision of history, geography, and sheer, raw possibility unfolding on the pitch in Boston. zidane iqbal. the name itself carries this weight, doesn’t it? not just for the goals, but for what t
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team

The Psychology of Performance: Legacy, Media, and the Narrative of Football
Argentina versus Algeria. The World Cup 2026 kickoff in Kansas City felt like something else entirely. Twenty years on, and you still see it. Messi. He just put on a show. A hat-trick. Three goals in a solid three-nil win against Algeria. It wasn't just a game; it was a reminder of everything. The w
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team
Latest Headlines

The Emotional and Financial Struggle of Living in Gurugram
That guy, a software developer, twenty-seven. From Gurugram. He posted it on Reddit, just dropped this mess about money. It went viral, you know? Suddenly everyone was looking at his numbers. He said his monthly salary, that 1.5 lakh figure, doesn't feel high enough. That’s the core of it. The feeli
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team

The History Agreement: Negotiations, Demands, and Geopolitical Shifts
The world is gearing up for whatever signing happens next regarding that history agreement in West Asia. And you know who’s talking about it? Vice President JD Vance. He just said the whole memorandum doesn't even take up two pages. Just that. But what does that mean? It sounds incredibly light, alm
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team

The Security and Political Crisis in Jammu and Kashmir
Rawalpindi is running with its usual playbook, blaming foreign intelligence agencies for everything happening in Jammu and Kashmir. It’s massive domestic pushback, unprecedented stuff. The Director General of ISPR, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, just gave an exclusive briefing to the pres
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team

US Military Covert Operation: Bypassing Sanctions via Ship-to-Ship Transfers
The US military has been running this whole covert operation since early May. It’s about moving Gulf oil out of the Strait of Hormuz, using those secretive ship-to-ship transfers. They're basically borrowing a trick from Iran’s playbook on bypassing sanctions. Reuters got wind of it Monday. It’s hap
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team

Tax Exemption for Women's Sanitary Products and Contraceptives in Pakistan
The tax exemption for women’s sanitary products and contraceptives has finally landed in the federal budget for 2026-27. It kicks in July 1st. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb pushed this through as part of the larger federal plan. But there’s more to it than just the numbers on the page. This mo
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team

Justice Served: BSF Jawans Sentenced for Gang-Rape and Acid Attack in Mizoram
Bringing that nine-year legal fight to a close in Mizoram’s district court was something huge. They finally sentenced two Border Security Force jawans to rigorous imprisonment. The charges? Gang-rape and brutal acid attack against a local tribal woman back in 2017. The judge, Additional District and
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team

Fuel Price Movements and Market Dynamics on June 17th
Petrol, diesel, and CNG prices stayed put Monday, June 17th. That’s what they said. But behind the scenes? The oil market companies and gas distributors are still tweaking things every morning at six, you know? Still, there was movement in the upstream stuff. OMCs hiked petrol and diesel by about se
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team

The Secret to Making Deep, Rich Masala Chai
You know that smell? That fresh masala chai aroma. It’s unbeatable. But honestly, most people struggle with making it right. They throw in ginger, cardamom, cloves, all that good stuff, and still, it just doesn't hit that deep, rich fragrance you get from a real roadside stall or your mom’s kitchen.
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team

The Dynamic of Stardom: Behind Dil To Pagal Hai and Bollywood Evolution
You know, you hear about *Dil To Pagal Hai*. It’s always something, isn't it? Not just a movie, really. It’s become this thing everyone talks about. A proper cult favorite now, that stuff. And you look at what happened behind the scenes with those actresses. It’s a story, really. A weird one. Karism
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team

Abhishek Singh Defends Blocking of Telegram for NEET-UG Exam Security
Abhishek Singh, the Director General of the National Testing Agency, basically stood up and defended the government’s move to block Telegram temporarily before the re-NEET-UG 2026 exam. It wasn't some casual decision; it was a reaction to something really toxic happening on that platform. He argued
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team

Deepika Padukone's Departure, Casting Speculation, and Industry Battles
Everyone’s buzzing about who’s going to step into Deepika Padukone's shoes for the sequel to *Kalki 2898 AD*. It’s all speculation right now, obviously. No official word yet. But then a new report surfaces, and suddenly things get interesting. Apparently, Alia isn’t taking that spot in Prabhas’ film
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team

India's Defense Production and Indigenous Manufacturing Growth
India’s defense production hit a record high this year. It clocked in at Rs 1.78 lakh crore for FY 2025-26, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced. This really shows how much indigenous manufacturing capabilities are growing in the country. The context isn't just about the final number though. The
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Movement and Political Split Rumors
One MP drove for hours. From Hadgaon to Hyderabad before catching a flight. Two others did the same, separate road trips to Nanded Airport, then boarded chartered planes heading to Delhi. Another one came in from Mumbai. And yet another took a direct flight straight from Shirdi. These journeys felt
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team

Maharashtra Politics Chaos and Shiv Sena Internal Speculation
Maharashtra politics right now feels totally thrown into chaos. There’s this huge undercurrent of speculation swirling around Shiv Sena. People are talking about a section of the party some MPs potentially wanting to just jump ship. It’s all about word wars, accusations of poaching, and lawyers star
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team

Bharat Innovates 2026: Driving Global Investment in DeepTech and Innovation
The second day of Bharat Innovates 2026 was just intense. It felt like everyone global investors, industry heavyweights, researchers, policymakers, startups, academics were crammed together there. The whole focus was on moving innovation faster. Making those DeepTech solutions actually commercial. T
Jun 17, 2026 by Gree News Team