Norway Defeats Senegal 3-2 to Secure Spot in World Cup 2026 Round of 32

Kathmandu. In a FIFA World Cup 2026 Group 'I' match, Norway defeated Senegal 3-2 after a tense final struggle to secure a place in the Round of 32.

In the match held at the New York-New Jersey stadium, Norway had taken a 1-0 lead in the first half. Marcus Pederson scored in the 43rd minute to give the team the lead.

A few minutes after the second half began, Erling Haaland doubled the lead in the 48th minute from a pass by Michael Ødegaard. In the 53rd minute, Senegal's Ismaïla Sarr scored to bring the game back into contention.

However, in the 58th minute, Haaland scored his second goal to put Norway in a strong 3-1 position.

Senegal put continuous pressure in the final moments and Ismaïla Sarr scored his second goal in the added 3 minutes to bring the score to 3-2. After that, Senegal continued to try for an equalizer. Sarr's header going just wide in the final moments and further attacks failing proved disappointing for Senegal.

Finally, with the referee's final whistle, Norway secured a hard-fought victory and a place in the Round of 32 from the group stage. Senegal was defeated as they could not capitalize on the final moments' opportunities.

This match has become one of the most exciting matches of the group stage, where the result was uncertain until the last second.