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Norway returns to World Cup with a win, to face Senegal
🇪🇪 Estonia /Sports

Norway returns to World Cup with a win, to face Senegal

From Postimees · () Estonian

Translated from Estonian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Norway, returning to the World Cup after a 28-year absence, secured a dominant 4-1 victory over Iraq in their opening match.
  • Star player Erling Haaland scored two goals, expressing pride in his World Cup debut and his contribution to the team's win.
  • Senegal, Africa's champions, lost a close 3-1 match to France but showed a strong performance, setting up a challenging next group stage game against Norway.

Norway is making a significant return to the World Cup stage after a 28-year hiatus, marking their presence with a resounding 4-1 victory over Iraq in their opening group match. The team's star striker, Erling Haaland, was instrumental in the win, netting two goals. He expressed his immense pride and joy in making his World Cup debut and helping Norway secure a win after such a long absence from the tournament.

I believe most people saw how much joy the goals brought me. The feeling is really good and I am very proud that I made my personal World Cup debut and helped Norway win a match after a 28-year break.

— Erling HaalandErling Haaland reflects on his performance and the significance of Norway's victory in their World Cup opener.

Haaland acknowledged that while Norway was favored against Iraq, the victory was just the first hurdle. The mood within the Norwegian camp is one of cautious optimism, with players recognizing that their upcoming matches will be considerably tougher. Their next opponent, Senegal, is the reigning African champion and proved a formidable opponent for France in their opening game.

I believe most people saw how much joy the goals brought me. The feeling is really good and I am very proud that I made my personal World Cup debut and helped Norway win a match after a 28-year break.

— Erling HaalandErling Haaland discusses his personal achievement and the team's success in the World Cup.

Senegal, despite a 3-1 loss to France, delivered a performance that offered mixed emotions. While the defeat was disappointing, the team's display against one of the tournament's top favorites was commendable. Kylian Mbappe and Bradley Barcola scored for France, with Ibrahim Mbaye netting a late consolation goal for Senegal, followed by another French goal just before the final whistle. Senegal's best World Cup achievement was reaching the quarterfinals in 2002, and they are eager to make a mark this year, especially after their strong showing against Morocco in the African Cup of Nations final.

I believe most people saw how much joy the goals brought me. The feeling is really good and I am very proud that I made my personal World Cup debut and helped Norway win a match after a 28-year break.

— Erling HaalandHaaland expresses his emotions after scoring in Norway's World Cup match.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Postimees in Estonian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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