France defeated Norway 4-1 to claim top spot in Group I at the World Cup after Ousmane Dembele’s sublime hat-trick in Boston.
Rangers star Thelo Aasgaard did cut Norway’s deficit to one after Dembele’s double, but another stunning strike from the Paris Saint-Germain forward and Desire Doue’s late goal proved too much for the much-changed Norwegians.
After 10 changes, including Erling Haaland, who failed to come off the bench, Norway were almost behind within a minute after Kylian Mbappe rattled the cross bar.
Dembele curled an opener and had two within 20 minutes before Aasgaard hit back 79 seconds later, before the PSG star reestablished the two-goal cushion. Oscar Bobb earned a penalty in the second half, but Jorgen Strand Larsen’s poor effort was saved by Mike Maignon.
But Doue added a fourth to complete the rout late on, with Norway forced to settle for a last 32 tie with the Ivory Coast. Senegal thrashed Iraq 5-0 to all but confirm their place in the last 32 as one of the eight best third-place finishers. Follow all of the latest reaction to the Group I finale below:
Why Norway’s gamble to rest Haaland and Odegaard can pay off at the World Cup
Erling Haaland enjoyed a rare rest on Friday as Norway took on France in Boston, but he might not be thanking his manager. Stale Solbakken’s bold call to change 10 of his starting XI for Norway’s third group game put a pin in Haaland’s Golden Boot race for a few days, and gave a helping hand to one of his rivals as Ousmane Dembele scored a sublime hat-trick in France’s 4-1 win.
Not that Solbakken will lose any sleep over it. “I don’t care at all,” he said this week when asked about Haaland’s pursuit of an individual award and whether that might be jeopardised.
Solbakken signposted in his press conference this week that he might rotate his Norway team. Interestingly, he was taking inspiration from France themselves after Didier Deschamps rested players in their final group game in Qatar four years ago, where Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele all started on the bench.
Piece by Lawrence Ostlere:
Are France favourites to win the World Cup?
Are France THE favourites for the tournament right now? Most people thought it’d be them or Spain going all the way, with a decent amount of picks for Argentina, too.
But France look perhaps the most well-rounded right now, the most comfortable at this level.
They won 4-1 today and, yes, Norway fielded a team of 10 changes (with no Haaland or Odegaard), and the underdogs missed a penalty, but France looked like they had another gear that they could’ve used if needed.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic on France’s chances of going all the way
“Anything can happen. Three games… they had their biggest talent individually, they’re shining; the PSG players are shining; even the goalkeeper made saves, he’s shining.
“It’s the defending. If they want, they can win it. By seeing them play, it’s fun, the combination.
“ It’s not easy, part of the job of the manager is to combine and work them together; they need to work together, they’re all connecting.”
Next up for Iraq? A trip home
Bottom of the group with zero points, Iraq face the reality that their World Cup is over.
Thierry Henry on France’s chances of going all the way
“It’s a different competition that starts now.
“They did what they needed to do. The penalty [that Norway missed] would have been costly. The one vs one, as a coach you’ll look at it.
“They could play Germany [in the last 16]; that’s the World Cup, it starts now.”
Next up for Senegal? Well…
Unlike France and Norway, Senegal have not yet qualified for the round of 32.
As the fifth-best third-placed team, at the time of writing, they’re very much hanging in the balance.
Remember, the eight best third-placed teams go through.
Next up for France?
We actually don’t yet know who France will play, but we know it’ll be one of the third-placed teams from Groups C, D, F, G or H.
And that last-32 tie will play out at the New York New Jersey Stadium next Tuesday, at 10pm BST.
Next up for Norway?
Norway will go on to face Ivory Coast in the round of 32 next Tuesday.
That game (6pm BST kick-off) will take place in Dallas – well, Arlington, near Dallas.
FULL TIME! Senegal 5-0 Iraq
That result makes Senegal the fifth-best third-placed team, as it stands, with Scotland relegated to ninth for now… It’s not looking good for them.
