Here’s Barney Ronay’s match report from New York New Jersey stadium:
That’s all from me tonight. Thanks for your emails. for following along with a game that really picked up its boil after the first hydration break.
A lot worth following when Group I’s final slot comes up, between a desperate Senegal against Iraq. that long-awaited World Cup clash between Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé. Still plenty of games to be watched between now and then – catch you all on my next minute-by-minute!
But wait, there’s more! Just under an hour until Jordan’s second-ever World Cup game. against an Algeria side with plenty to prove after a humbling opener against Argentina.
Awfully late for many of you,. I’d contend that budding starlet Ibrahim Maza is worth burning a bit of midnight oil…
A lovely moment as captain Martin Ødegaard bangs a drum to lead his teammates. their fans in a communal rowing celebration. Their first knockout appearance in 28 years – over two years before Erling Haaland was born!
Reader Sujit has some concerns about our blockbuster golden boot race afoot…
While the performance of Messi, Mbappe. Haaland are indeed superb in the first two rounds, the lack of quality opposition due to the bloated nature of the tournament seems to have played a part too.
I was wondering how the larger field would impact this before the tournament, but with one repeated exception (Mbappé. Haaland vs. Iraq), this trio’s multi-goal games have come against opponents with credible pre-tournament resumes. Messi’s hat-trick came against Algeria before today’s brace against Austria; Haaland and Mbappé’s braces against Senegal also quite respectable.
A very engrossing final 50 minutes after some timid play in the opening 40! Far from a convincing close-out by Norway as Senegal finally showed some fight,. it’s enough for Ståle Solbakken’s side to secure a place in the round of 32. All to play for against France, who are just ahead of Norway in Group I thanks to goal difference.
Senegal look to be in disbelief: zero points from two games, on the brink of elimination far sooner than expected.
Norway has advanced from the group stage for the first time since 1998! Senegal stuck without a point and needs a big result against Iraq to crest the knockout bracket.
90+9 min A great corner by Galatasaray’s Ismail Jakobs, but Ismaila Sarr’s header flies over the bar. Despite having bagged a brace today. no doubt the Crystal Palace man will spend more time thinking about what could have been on that chance.
90+9 min Probably another minute or two to be played given the goal,. another Senegal corner… And their goalkeeper is being told to stay home.
90+7 min Leo Østigard took quite a whack defending a corner kick as Pathé Ciss came in to try a header with plenty of pace. A quick clash of heads, both both are walking it off.
Elsewhere. Pederson is struggling to walk after some contact before the corner – a second injury to a Norway right-back in this contest.
90+5 min Norway is fully pinned into their own third as Senegal continue to pour on the pressure. Sacrificing a center-back, even their captain, for a midfielder seems to have been wise to increase their upfield initiative. give Norway something to consider.
Perhaps a team shape adjustment to be considered for their finale against Iraq…
Norway unable to clear their lines as Senegal desperately peppers long shots to build toward the opponent’s box. Eventually, a cross into Nicolas Jackson is quickly played to Sarr, who curls in his second goal of the match.
Norway look besides themselves, especially Kriostoffer Ajer after a poor clearance. Strap in, folks!
THAT COUNTS AS SPECIAL!
90+2 min Into the prescribed nine minutes of stoppage. Senegal will need something special to salvage a point against an inspired Norway…
90 min Norway nearly finds their fourth! An impressive run by Schjelderup including a nutmeg leads to a close-range cross that’s half-heartedly cleared. while Oscar Bobb’s ensuing shot is blocked by Ciss to protect an otherwise open net.
88 min Norway threads another ball to Haaland in the box, but his shot is bravely blocked by Moussa Niakhaté.
84 min Two more subs for Norway, with Alexander Sørloth exiting after another shift struggling to adapt to a right wing role. Torbjørn Heggem also coming off. In their place, respectively: Oscar Bobb, a more natural right winger, and Leo Østigard along the back.
That’s a wrap on substitutions, with Iliman Ndiaye likely the most surprising unused option on either bench. Senegal certainly needed a spark like what he offers…
80 min Hard not to wonder what stripping Senegal of their initial title as champions of Afcon 2025 has done to their cohesion. They’ve been awfully sloppy today. haven’t shown the same spark that got them to the final, and Koulibaly was unusually out of sorts today.
76 min No penalty. “No hands to the face or neck” was a pretty standard infraction. area of emphasis in recent years, but no penalty for Senegal and play has already resumed.
74 min A tense moment between both players donning the 5 shirt. as David Møller Wolfe takes Idrissa Gueye down in Norway’s box with an arm swung to the front of Gueye’s neck. VAR currently looking into this…
71 min Antonio Nusa exits at a similar point as he did against Iraq after an even less impactful performance today. it must be said. In his place steps Andreas Schjelderup.
Meanwhile, Senegal’s final substitute is a surprise: captain and center-back Kalidou Koulibaly, whose mistake was swiftly punished on Pedersen’s opener. In his place is Tottenham midfielder Pape Sarr. offering more presence in the engine room as Senegal simply has to go for it to keep its hopes of advancement on track.
A reminder: if this result holds. Norway is through to the knockouts while Senegal still has a chance of being a top-eight third place team. That said, they’re currently ranked 12th among the third-place sides, without a point and harboring a -4 goal difference.
Reader Morgan is taking a trip down digital memory lane…
Absolutely delighted to see my FM21 hero Patrick Berg getting in on the goal involvements at the World Cup!
Nothing like a functional installment of Football Manager to foster endearment between fictional manager and actual player.
68 min Back to the sidelines for some sips. Will Haaland finish a hat-trick? Can Senegal salvage anything from this match to earn a first point (or three) at this World Cup?
65 min Despite being level on points. goal difference, Norway takes a narrow edge over France in Group I by virtue of outscoring the French 7-6. We could be in for an excellent finale between the Uefa qualifiers. while Senegal is on the verge of needing to win big against Iraq to rise from the cellar of third-place teams.
A hobbled Mendy exits after conceding three. suffering an apparent leg injury, with Mory Diaw checking in from the bench on his 33rd birthday, In his last appearance, Diaw conceded three goals against the USA in a 3-2 friendly defeat.
Senegal makes another change in the same window, with lamine Camara exiting for Pathé Ciss.
61 min Édouard Mendy is still on the ground getting what appears to be his upper right leg tended to by the trainers.
A bit of a barnstorming golden boot race afoot, with Messi on five goals from two games but both Mbappé. Haaland already on four. Maybe Harry Kane has another brace in him, too…
Norway does mighty work to make their sequence count after a sliding cross by Pedersen skirts past everybody as Nusa. Haaland get in each other’s way trying to shoot. Half-time sub Patrick Berg gets to the ball. sends it right back to Haaland in the heart of the mixer, whose inner-foot shot kisses off the underside of the crossbar to restore a two-goal Norske advantage.
HE’S DONE IT AGAIN! BACK-TO-BACK MULTI-GOAL GAMES FOR MESSI, MBAPPE, AND NOW HAALAND!
56 min Fox’s broadcast is already calling for votes on the player of the match. A bit early, especially considering the game has only just come to life!
55 min Finally, Senegal is able to make a mark! A long ball from the back finds Sadio Mané, who cuts infield and passes it to the midfield. Rather than recirculate. Senegal plays it right back up the gut to Mané, who gets it into the box for an onrushing Sarr. Far from pretty as Sarr is taken to ground, but he’s able to swing a leg at the ball. direct it beyond Nyland in goal.
And now two subs for Senegal: Pape Gueye and Malick Diouf off, Ibrahim Mbaye and Ismail Jakobs off.
This game has come to life over the last 15 minutes of action!
52 min Senegal nearly has their response! A long cross from the right finds Nicolas Jackson rising over Torbjørn Heggem at the far post,. his header is pounced upon by Nyland.
Stop me if you’ve heard this already, but Norway incisive to make Senegal pay after a mistake. A midfield turnover sets Norway on a four-on-three break. with Ødegaard making a confident dribble into the final third before playing an inch-perfect through ball into Haaland’s stride. It’s a trademark finish for the Man City man, with goalscorer. assister convening at the corner flag for a posed celebration.
58 Norway goals from 52 caps for Haaland. Not bad!
GOAL! Norway 2-0 Senegal (Haaland 48)
46 min They’ve resumed their trotting in East Rutherford.
One change for Norway, which makes sense as they used one of their three windows in the 13th minute. Fredrik Aursnes comes off after a fairly anonymous half, while Patrick Berg checks in and will slot into midfield.
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