Nicolas Jackson's pass set up a goal and a thrilling finale for Senegal against Norway, but they weren't quite able to fight their way back to earn a first point at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Both teams were unchanged from their opening game of the tournament, meaning Jackson led the Senegal attack, while [Mamadou Sarr](/en/teams/profile/mamadou-sarr) started among the substitutes for the African side. Former Blues Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly retained their places in the line-up.
Those first matches provided very different outcomes, with Norway’s win over Iraq leaving them able to progress with another victory in New Jersey, while Senegal were hoping to bounce back from defeat to France by getting their first points on the board of this tournament.
It was the Scandinavians who took the initiative early on, with Mendy forced into a reaction save from a dangerous corner which left the Norway players with their heads in their hands after thinking they had the opening goal. Senegal went straight up the other end on the counter and threatened to release Jackson in behind the defence, but the flag went up for offside.
Jackson continued to carry Senegal’s biggest threat, doing brilliantly to pluck a high-ball into the box out of the sky, but being crowded out by defenders before he could get the shot away. It was developing into an entertaining match midway through the first half, with the Africans coming into proceedings more as it went on.
It took another good Mendy save to deny Martin Odegaard shortly before the half-time, but Senegal couldn’t quite hold on for the break, as Marcus Holmgren Pedersen punished a loose pass at the back by Koulibaly to beat Mendy at his near post and send Norway in with the lead.
Things went downhill from there, as Erling Haaland fired into the top corner on the counter just two minutes into the second half to extend the European team’s lead, making amends after hitting the post on the stroke of half-time.
Senegal tried to fight back as Jackson rose highest to meet a cross, but his header down was too central to trouble the goalkeeper. Moments later they did pull one back though, when Ismaila Sarr latched onto a Sadio Mane flick and blasted into the roof of the net.
It was only a temporary change to the game’s momentum, though, as Haaland soon volleyed in off the underside of the bar to restore Norway’s two-goal advantage. Things then went from bad to worse for Senegal, when Mendy went down injured and was unable to continue, forcing his side into a change of goalkeeper.
Even back at two down, Senegal never gave up hope and kept attacking whenever they could. Late on it paid off when Ismaila Sarr scored his second goal from Jackson's first-time pass to make it 3-2 with six of the nine added minutes remaining, setting up a tense finish.
However, despite sustained pressure, they were unable to claw their way back level. The loss leaves them pointless and unable to reach the top two of Group I, requiring a win in their final match against Iraq on Friday to have a chance of progressing as one of the eight best third-placed teams.