LOS ANGELES: Ousmane Dembele scored a first-half hat-trick as France powered past Norway 4-1 to clinch top spot in World Cup Group ‘I’ on Friday as Senegal kept their hopes of a last-32 spot alive with a thumping victory over Iraq.
Dembele scored in the 7th, 20th and 32nd minutes as France maintained their 100 per cent start to the tournament with another dazzling attacking display.
The pre-match hype around Friday’s game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, outside Boston, had focused on a duel between Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.
But that much-anticipated showdown never materialised after Norway, who needed a win to leapfrog France into first place, opted to leave Haaland on the bench. Instead it was left to Dembele to grab centre-stage from team-mate Mbappe, in a potent example of France’s fearsome offensive arsenal.
Dembele’s PSG team-mate Desire Doue bagged France’s fourth in stoppage time to complete the scoring.
“It’s a unique and important moment for me but I preferred my performances against Senegal or Iraq,” Dembele said. “I think I was much more influential in those games. I believe we need to stay focused.”
Norway coach Stale Solbakken defended his decision to leave out star duo Haaland and Martin Odegaard, saying it was a “no-brainer”.
“It was a no-brainer, for me, for the physio and for the medical staff, and for some of the players themselves,” said Solbakken after he made 10 changes to his starting line-up.
“They all said it would be difficult for many of them, and then the only consideration is of course the fans in Norway and here.
France will now face one of the eight best third-placed teams in the last 32, while Norway will take on Ivory Coast in Dallas on June 30 for a place in the last 16.
Senegal, meanwhile, gave themselves a fighting chance of reaching the last 32 with a 5-0 drubbing of Iraq in their final group game, boosting their goal difference to win their first points of the tournament.
Senegal enjoyed a dream start when Abdoulaye Seck’s header directed off team-mate Habib Diarra and into the Iraqi net in the fourth minute.
Iraq went down a man in the 12th minute when the referee decided after a VAR review to send off defender Rebin Sulaka for pulling down Sadio Mane.
Iraq were able to hold Senegal in the first half but the West Africans ran riot after the break with goals by Ismaila Sarr, Iliman Ndiaye and a double from Pape Gueye.
The west Africans, who have three points, must now wait for the remaining group games elsewhere to play out before learning if they have done enough to squeeze into the knockouts.
“Our future is no longer in our own hands,” Senegal coach Pape Thiaw said. “We will have to wait and see. But we got the job done.”
Iraq go home without a point after a hugely disappointing campaign following an arduous route to qualify.
Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2026