Welcome to our live coverage of the World Cup 2026 match between Iraq and Norway. This is a crucial Group F encounter, with both teams looking to secure their first points of the tournament.
First Half Action
The match kicked off at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, with Norway dominating possession early on. Erling Haaland had the first chance of the game, forcing a save from Iraqi goalkeeper Jalal Hassan in the 5th minute.
Iraq, playing in their first World Cup since 1986, are showing resilience. Their captain, Saad Abdul-Amir, is orchestrating play from midfield. In the 12th minute, Iraq had a promising counter-attack, but Ali Adnan's cross was cleared by the Norwegian defense.
Norway's Pressure
Norway continued to press, with Martin Odegaard pulling the strings. In the 20th minute, Odegaard's through ball found Alexander Sorloth, but his shot went wide. Norway's best chance came in the 35th minute when Haaland hit the post from close range.
Iraq's defense, led by Ahmed Ibrahim, has been solid. They have absorbed pressure well and looked dangerous on the break. The first half ended goalless, with Norway having 65% possession and 8 shots to Iraq's 2.
Second Half Drama
The second half started with Iraq making a tactical substitution, bringing on striker Mohanad Ali for midfielder Amjad Attwan. The change paid off immediately: in the 48th minute, Ali latched onto a long ball and slotted past Norwegian goalkeeper Orjan Nyland to give Iraq a shock lead.
Norway responded with fury. Haaland had a goal disallowed for offside in the 55th minute. In the 60th minute, Norway equalized through a brilliant free-kick from Odegaard, curling the ball over the wall and into the top corner.
Both teams pushed for a winner. Iraq's goalkeeper Hassan made a stunning save in the 78th minute, tipping Haaland's header over the bar. In the 85th minute, Iraq thought they had won it when Ali scored again, but VAR ruled it out for a foul in the build-up.
Final Whistle
The match ended 1-1. A fair result in an entertaining game. Iraq will be pleased with their performance, while Norway will rue missed chances. Both teams remain in contention to advance from Group F.
