Norway vs Senegal
Haaland's brace seals Norway thriller
Norway edge Senegal 3-2 in a pulsating World Cup clash.
Norway triumphed 3-2 over Senegal in a match that kept fans on the edge of their seats. M. Pedersen opened the scoring just before half-time, and E. Haaland's brace shortly after the break proved decisive despite I. Sarr's two goals for Senegal, including a last-gasp effort. This result defied Fipster's prediction of a 1-1 draw, showcasing Norway's clinical edge in a tight contest.
Analysis
As the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage unfolds, Norway and Senegal face off in what promises to be a closely matched encounter. Both teams boast strong squads with players active in Europe's top leagues, setting the stage for a tactical and competitive battle.
Norway enters this fixture leading their group with a perfect record and a +3 goal difference, while Senegal trails with no points and a -2 goal difference. Both teams have qualified directly and bring comparable squad quality, featuring numerous players from the top five European leagues.
Norway's recent form is impeccable, winning all five of their last matches, bolstered by the goal-scoring prowess of Erling Haaland. Senegal, despite a recent loss, has bounced back with four wins and fields a squad rich in Premier League and Ligue 1 talent. The balance in squad calibre and form suggests a tight contest, with both sides likely to find the net.
Prediction
Given the parity in squad strength and recent performances, a draw appears the most probable outcome. The forecast is a 1-1 scoreline, reflecting the competitive nature of the match and the defensive resilience on both sides. Expect a disciplined game with a moderate number of cards, around four in total.
Outcome probability
Key Insights
Haaland's Away Scoring Threat
Haaland's 2 goals in away match highlight Norway's reliance on him to break Senegal's defense
Norway's Superior Passing Accuracy
Norway's key midfielders and defenders show passing accuracy above league averages, aiding control
Senegal's Defensive Solidity Tested
Senegal's defenders have high tackle and duel win rates but conceded 4 goals last game, indicating vulnerability
Diatta's Defensive Prowess vs Norway Attack
Diatta's high tackle count and duel success critical to containing Norway's attackers
No Key Injuries Reported
Both teams have full squads available, ensuring strongest lineups and tactical consistency
Key Takeaways
This encounter between Norway and Senegal should provide an entertaining and evenly matched spectacle. Both teams will be eager to secure points to improve their standing, but the prediction leans towards a shared result, keeping the group tightly contested.
- Norway leads the group with 3 points and a +3 goal difference.
- Senegal currently has 0 points and a -2 goal difference in the group.
- Both teams qualified directly for the World Cup 2026.
- Norway has 3 prior World Cup appearances with a best finish of Round of 16 (1998).
- Senegal has 3 prior World Cup appearances with a best finish of Quarter-finals (2002).
- Norway's squad includes 17 of 26 players in top-5 European leagues.
- Senegal's squad includes 20 of 26 players in top-5 European leagues.
- Norway's recent form is five wins in their last five matches.
Player Insights
Standout players Fipster expects to impact the match — curated highlights, not full squad lists
Home — Norway
Away — Senegal
Form as the teams went into this match — excludes this result and anything since.
Team Comparison
Season shape — attack, defence, form, clean sheets & win rate
Home vs Away comparison
Goal difference in each of the last few fixtures — above the line is a net win, below is a net loss
Season comparison
Goals scored & conceded, goal difference and clean sheets across the season
Halftime Performance
What each side does once the whistle goes for half time
Streaks
Recent-form runs — each side’s most-recent game meets in the middle
Head to Head
FIFA world ranking
Ryerson
Pedersen
Aursnes
Haaland
Assist: Ødegaard
Sarr
Assist: Mané
Diouf
Gueye
Haaland
Assist: Berg
Mendy
Camara
Nusa
Koulibaly
Sørloth
Heggem
Sarr
Assist: Jackson
Match Statistics
Norway
4-3-3Starting XI
- 1Ø. NylandG
- 3K. AjerD
- 5D. Møller WolfeD
- 7A. SørlothF
- 8S. BergeM
- 9E. HaalandF
- 10M. ØdegaardM
- 14F. AursnesM
- 17T. HeggemD
- 20A. NusaF
- 26J. RyersonD
Substitutes
- 2M. ThorsbyM
- 4L. ØstigårdD
- 6P. BergM
- 11J. Strand LarsenF
- 12S. TangvikG
- 13E. SelvikG
- 15F. BjørkanD
- 16M. PedersenD
- 18K. ThorstvedtM
- 19T. AasgaardM
- 21A. SchjelderupF
- 22Oscar BobbM
- 23J. HaugeM
- 24S. LangåsD
- 25H. FalchenerD
Senegal
4-2-3-1Starting XI
- 3K. KoulibalyD
- 5I. GueyeM
- 8L. CamaraM
- 10S. ManéM
- 11N. JacksonF
- 15K. DiattaD
- 16É. MendyG
- 18I. SarrM
- 19M. NiakhatéD
- 25E. DioufD
- 26P. GueyeM
Substitutes
- 1Y. DioufG
- 2M. SarrD
- 4A. SeckD
- 6P. CissM
- 7Assane DiaoF
- 9B. DiengF
- 12C. NdiayeF
- 13I. NdiayeF
- 14I. JakobsD
- 17P. SarrM
- 20I. MbayeF
- 21H. DiarraM
- 22Bara NdiayeM
- 23M. DiawG
- 24A. MendyD
Norway
| Player | Pos | Min | Rating | G | A | Shots | SoT | Key Passes | Dribbles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erling Haaland | F | 90 | 8.7 | 2 | — | 4 | 3 | 2 | — |
| Martin Ødegaard(C) | M | 90 | 7.2 | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1/2 |
| Torbjørn Heggem | D | 84 | 7.0 | — | — | — | — | — | 1/1 |
| Julian Ryerson | D | 13 | 6.9 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Sander Berge | M | 90 | 6.7 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Alexander Sørloth | F | 84 | 6.7 | — | — | — | — | — | 0/2 |
| Fredrik Aursnes | M | 45 | 6.7 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| David Møller Wolfe | D | 90 | 6.7 | — | — | — | — | — | 1/1 |
| Kristoffer Ajer | D | 90 | 6.7 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| Antonio Nusa | F | 71 | 6.6 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 0/1 |
| Ørjan Nyland | G | 90 | 6.6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Substitutes | |||||||||
| Thelo Aasgaard | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sondre Langås | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sander Tangvik | G | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Henrik Sælebakke Falchener | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Kristian Thorstvedt | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Egil Selvik | G | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jens Petter Hauge | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Fredrik André Bjørkan | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Morten Thorsby | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jørgen Strand Larsen | F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Marcus Pedersen | D | 77 | 7.5 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Patrick Berg | M | 45 | 7.2 | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 2/2 |
| Andreas Schjelderup | F | 19 | 6.9 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1/1 |
| Leo Østigård | D | 17 | 6.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oscar Bobb | M | 17 | 6.3 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — |
Senegal
| Player | Pos | Min | Rating | G | A | Shots | SoT | Key Passes | Dribbles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ismaïla Sarr | M | 90 | 8.2 | 2 | — | 4 | 3 | — | 0/2 |
| Moussa Niakhaté | D | 90 | 7.9 | — | — | — | — | — | 1/1 |
| Idrissa Gana Gueye | M | 90 | 7.3 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| Sadio Mané | M | 90 | 7.0 | — | 1 | — | — | 5 | 4/5 |
| Nicolas Jackson | F | 90 | 6.9 | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0/1 |
| Pape Gueye | M | 54 | 6.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 0/3 |
| Krépin Diatta | D | 90 | 6.3 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1/1 |
| Lamine Camara | M | 63 | 6.2 | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | — |
| El Hadji Malick Diouf | D | 54 | 6.0 | — | — | — | — | — | 1/1 |
| Edouard Mendy | G | 63 | 6.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Kalidou Koulibaly(C) | D | 72 | 5.2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Substitutes | |||||||||
| Habib Diarra | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Abdoulaye Seck | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cherif Ndiaye | F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Iliman Ndiaye | F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Yehvann Diouf | G | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Bara Sapoko Ndiaye | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mamadou Sarr | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Assane Diao | F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ahmadou Bamba Dieng | F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Antoine Mendy | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pathé Ismaël Ciss | M | 27 | 7.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ibrahim Mbaye | F | 36 | 7.2 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1/1 |
| Mory Diaw | G | 27 | 6.9 | — | — | — | — | — | 1/1 |
| Ismail Jakobs | D | 36 | 6.7 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Pape Matar Sarr | M | 18 | 6.3 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |