Haaland announes himself at World Cup with brace as Norway see off Iraq

[p]In an electrifying [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/iraq-K8aAGt6r/norway-8rP6JO0H/?mid=n9TEVLhA"]first half[/a] on a clear Boston evening, a flowing Norwegian move in the 28th minute allowed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/haaland-erling/UmV9iQmE/"]Haaland[/a] to open his WC account and nudge his team in front. The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Manchester City[/a] striker was left with a simple tap-in after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wolfe-moller-david/MLvBwPN0/"]David Moller Wolfe's[/a] pinpoint low cross to the back post[/p][image alt="Erling Haaland's first goal path" id="ca322641-a1ee-4d96-a289-d04b22cc5ad4" credit-line="Opta via StatsPerform" guid="296a7652-969c-4c98-ba03-22e83cd1db26" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]But any thoughts of an Iraqi collapse were ill-founded as they drew level 10 minutes later. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/al-ammari-amir/fwaJHIba/"]Amir Al-Ammari[/a] got to the byline on the left wing, and the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cracovia/KvXSf2A6/"]Cracovia[/a] midfielder stood the ball up at the back post to allow [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hussein-ayman/Aq6AX0QC/"]Aymen Hussein[/a] to bullet his header into the bottom corner.[/p][p]Despite the jubilation of the equaliser, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/iraq/K8aAGt6r/"]Iraq[/a] would go in behind at HT due to a self-inflicted wound that allowed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/norway/8rP6JO0H/"]Norway[/a] to retake the lead. A harmless backpass from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tahseen-zaid/W2aahfYG/"]Zaid Tahseen[/a] quickly turned disastrous, as goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hachim-jalal/8AvSMuAq/"]Jalal Hassan[/a] dallied and allowed Haaland to charge down his clearance.[/p][p]Responding well to the setback, Iraq went close three times in the final five minutes of the first half, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/al-hamadi-ali/bkbKtyxR/"]Ali Al-Hamadi[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bayesh-ibraheem/KCfstYLL/"]Ibrahim Bayesh[/a] were denied by excellent last-ditch Norwegian defending before Akam Hashim hit a left-footed volley just over the bar on the stroke of HT.[/p][image alt="Norway-Iraq Momentum" id="93a6ee09-82a2-4ed6-8f09-dfc6ab89d155" credit-line="Opta via StatsPerform" guid="d5f65f34-2b3c-4d19-9fb8-f60f020f6897" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]After the storm of a chaotic first half, a calm descended on the opening period of the second half, with neither team registering a shot on target until the 76th minute when substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ostigard-leo/lIN7BM8b/"]Leo Ostigard[/a] put the result beyond doubt.[/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/genoa/d0PJxeie/"]Genoa[/a] defender rose highest to meet [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/odegaard-martin/ID32TGhp/"]Martin Odegaard[/a]’s corner, and he glanced his header home from close range to seal a win on Norway’s return to WC action after a 28-year hiatus. [/p][p]Meanwhile, Iraq’s wait for a first WC victory continues, and a late Aymen Hussein own goal added a demoralising end to a spirited performance, as the ball bounced off the striker while he jostled on the goal line with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thorstvedt-kristian/EF3UYlr3/"]Kristian Thorstvedt[/a].[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/haaland-erling/UmV9iQmE/"]Erling Haaland[/a] (Norway)[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/iraq-K8aAGt6r/norway-8rP6JO0H/summary/stats/?mid=n9TEVLhA"]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]