Iraq's defensive blooper gifts Haaland a goal, costing them draw against Norway

Iraq's hopes of holding Norway to a draw in their 2026 World Cup qualifier were dashed by a costly defensive blunder just minutes after they had managed to equalize. The match, which saw Iraq level the score at 1-1 with a header from Aymen Hussein in the 39th minute, took a turn for the worse in the 43rd minute.

Defender Zaid Tahseen attempted a short back-pass to his goalkeeper, Jalal Hasan, under pressure from Norwegian star Erling Haaland. The goalkeeper could barely make contact with the ball as Haaland closed in. The ball ricocheted off the striker and into the net, giving Norway the lead once again.

This defensive lapse proved critical, as it allowed the European side to regain the advantage they had established earlier in the game. Haaland had already opened the scoring for Norway, making this his second goal of the match and further compounding Iraq's defensive struggles.

The incident highlighted a moment of miscommunication and pressure on the Iraqi defense, ultimately leading to a self-inflicted goal that shifted the momentum of the game. The match was part of the qualification campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.