Haaland spearheads Norway's powerful attack against Iraq

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group I - Iraq v Norway - Boston Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, U.S. - June 16, 2026 Norway's Erling Haaland during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Peter CziborraREUTERS

Norway coach Stale Solbakken has selected his first-choice attack line - including the English Premier League's top scorer last season Erling Haaland - for the country's first World Cup match since 1998 against Iraq in Group I on Tuesday.

  • Solbakken chose Alexander Sorloth and Antonio Nusa to play alongside Haaland up front.

  • Fredrik Aursnes got the nod in midfield with winger Oscar Bobb on the bench.

  • Iraq's attack will be led by veteran 30-year-old Aymen Hussein alongside Ali Al Hamadi and Ali Jassim.

  • Iraq coach Graham Arnold made several changes from the team that lost 2-0 against Venezuela in their last warm-up match.

Lineups

Iraq

Jalal Hassan; Hussein Ali, Zaid Tahseen, Akam Hashem, Merchas Doski; Amir Al Ammari, Zaid Ismail, Ibrahim Bayesh; Ali Jassim, Ali Al Hamadi, Aymen Hussein.

Norway

Orjan Haskjold Nyland; Julian Ryerson, Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjorn Heggem, David Moller Wolfe; Martin Odegaard, Sander Berge, Fredrik Aursnes; Alexander Sorloth, Erling Haaland, Antonio Nusa.