France striker Ousmane Dembele scored a first-half hat-trick to guide his already-qualified team to a 4-1 win over second-string Norway on Friday and finish top of World Cup Group I.The 2018 World Cup winners hit the crossbar with Kylian Mbappe’s thunderous drive after 25 seconds before the captain delivered a superb through ball for Ballon d’Or winner Dembele to fire them into the lead in the seventh minute.The 29-year-old added a second goal with a superbly angled shot before Norway, who had qualified in second place and rested 10 of their 11 first-choice starters, including top scorer Erling Haaland, pulled one back when the unmarked Thelo Aasgaard scored a minute later.🚨🌍 OUSMANE DEMBÉLÉ MAKES IT TWO FOR FRANCE! WHAT A FINISH! 🤯🇫🇷France take complete control with a sensational strike from Dembélé. Pure quality from the French winger. 🔥⚽🇳🇴 Norway 0-2 France 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/34B7i6SOKX— SAMMY (@SamuelNoah95132) June 26, 2026
Dembele bagged his first World Cup treble with a fine finish in the 32nd before Norway’s Jorgen Strand Larsen had a penalty saved five minutes after the restart.France, who got a fourth goal through Desire Doue in stoppage time, will not know their Round of 32 opponents until Saturday when all group matches are completed but are likely to face Sweden, while Norway will take on Ivory Coast in the knockout stage in Dallas on June 30.Senegal crushed 10-man Iraq 5-0 to remain in the running for a place in the round of 32 and end their opponents’ hopes of reaching the knockout stages.The West Africans enjoyed a dream start when Abdoulaye Seck’s header directed off teammate 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 as the Senegalese striker was through on goal.Senegal, who ran riot after the break with goals by Ismaila Sarr, Iliman Ndiaye and a double from Pape Gueye, must wait to see if they will advance as one of the eight best third-placed teams.All the World Cup fixtures hereWorld Cup page hereAll the group profiles hereStar player profiles hereBafana news here
