Norway begin their World Cup after an absence of 28 years with a 4-1 victory over Iraq. The match features Erling Haaland as a central attacking figure, with reports describing the performance as “Haaland-inspired.” Across coverage, Norway are presented as controlling the game enough to secure a comfortable win, while Iraq score once despite the gap in overall outcome. The accounts also note that, while Norway’s result is emphatic, there are still “warning signs” for the team despite the margin, suggesting that Iraq offered moments of resistance or that Norway did not address every defensive or tactical issue during the fixture. The reports frame the game as an opening statement for Norway’s campaign, highlighting their attacking threat and goal impact, particularly through Haaland. Overall, all sources converge on the same basic match facts: the scoreline, Norway’s campaign opener after a long absence, and Haaland’s prominent role in the victory.