France pulled clear of Norway in a lively FIFA World Cup contest, with Ousmane Dembele completing a hat-trick to send the scoreline to 3-1 by half-time. Norway's Haaland was left out and given a rest for this game, but his side still pushed France hard through the second half, winning a penalty and forcing several other openings before the final whistle drew closer.
Norway hit back before Dembele's treble settles the first half
In the 20th minute, on the clock at 20:36, Norway pulled a goal back through Thelo Aasgaard, who struck a right-footed shot from the centre of the penalty area into the bottom left corner, set up by Andreas Schjelderup. That made it Norway 1, France 2, and gave the Norwegian side belief that they could get back into the contest despite trailing.
France responded almost immediately by pressing for a second goal of their own. In the 21st minute they won a corner after the ball deflected off Fredrik Bjorkan, and by the 22nd minute a foul committed by Fredrik Aursnes handed them another corner kick. Theo Hernandez then tested the Norway goal in the 23rd minute, firing a left-footed effort from outside the box that flew over the crossbar, off a chance created by Aurelien Tchouameni. Around the same passage of play, Desire Doue shot wide of the target from outside the area with his right foot after Jules Kounde's assist from a corner, while Michael Olise saw his effort from the centre of the box saved by the Norway goalkeeper after Kylian Mbappe had played him through with a clever pass.
The match was paused briefly for a drinks break at 23:33 and resumed at 26:17. Soon after play restarted, Norway's Kristian Thorstvedt was penalised for a foul at 27:10, and Hernandez won a free kick for France in their own defensive half in that same minute.
France's decisive moment of the first half arrived in the 31st minute. At 31:45, Dembele completed his hat-trick, striking a left-footed finish from the centre of the penalty area into the bottom left corner off an assist from Tchouameni, making it Norway 1, France 3. Tchouameni almost added a fourth goal himself soon after, at 34:21, with a powerful right-footed strike from outside the box that flew narrowly over the bar, created by Dembele.
The remainder of the half continued with a string of stoppages and set pieces. Schjelderup won a free kick in the attacking half at 35:53 after Dayot Upamecano was penalised for a foul. Kounde was then penalised for a handball at 39:18, gifting Norway another free kick, and Norway also won a corner at 42:07 following an error by Kounde. Aasgaard then won a free kick in Norway's own defensive half at 44:24. The fourth official signalled five minutes of stoppage time at 45:26, and moments later Tchouameni was penalised for a foul that handed Norway yet another free kick. Olise then fired a shot over the bar from the centre of the penalty area at 45:45 after an assist from Doue. Deep into stoppage time, at 46:39, Olise won a free kick in the attacking half for France, only for Schjelderup to concede one for Norway in the very same minute. The first half eventually ended at 50:12 with France firmly ahead 3-1, a two-goal cushion carried into the break.
Norway make two changes as the second half begins
At half-time, Norway's coaching staff made two substitutions to try to change the pattern of the game. Morten Thorsby replaced Kristian Thorstvedt, and Markus Pedersen came on for Fredrik Bjorkan. The second half then kicked off with the score still reading Norway 1, France 3.
Maignan denies Strand Larsen after Norway are awarded a penalty
Norway were handed a route back into the contest early in the second half. At 47:50, Oscar Bobb was fouled inside the penalty area by France's Theo Hernandez, and the referee pointed to the spot for a penalty. Jorgen Strand Larsen stepped up to take it at 49:33, sending his right-footed penalty towards the bottom right corner, but France goalkeeper Mike Maignan dived low and kept it out, preserving his side's two-goal lead at a crucial moment in the contest.
Norway continued to search for a way back into the match after the miss. They won a corner at 53:32 after Upamecano put the ball behind for a corner, and Leo Ostigard headed narrowly wide from the left side of the six-yard box at 54:06 from a Patrick Berg cross following that corner. At the other end, Mbappe fired over the bar from outside the box at 55:25 after an assist from Doue, missing a big chance to extend France's lead further. Play was halted briefly at 55:57 for an injury to Norway's Egil Selvik, with the game resuming at 57:25 once the stoppage ended.
As the second half wore on, Doue won a free kick for France in the attacking half at 60:08 after a foul committed by Ostigard, while France's Maxence Lacroix was flagged offside at 60:49. Norway's Oscar Bobb was then penalised for a foul at 61:19, conceding another free kick to France as the contest continued with France still holding on to their 3-1 lead over Norway heading toward the closing stages of the second half.
