World Cup: Ajer’s Norway seal knockout place with Senegal victory

The first chance of the game fell to Ajer. Julian Ryerson whipped in a corner and the defender’s thumping header was brilliantly kept out by Édouard Mendy.

>Marcus Pedersen capitalised on a loose clearance from Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly to give Norway a late first-half lead.

>Erling Haaland then doubled the advantage three minutes after the restart, racing on to Martin Ødegaard’s through ball before finishing clinically.

>Ismaïla Sarr reduced the deficit for Senegal, but Haaland restored Norway’s two-goal cushion five minutes later with a composed side-foot volley that clipped the crossbar on its way in.

>Sarr struck again in stoppage-time to set up a tense finish and Senegal came close to forcing an equaliser in the closing moments, but Norway held firm.

>Ståle Solbakken’s side were deserved winners and secured qualification from Group I alongside France with a second consecutive World Cup victory.