EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — After Lionel Messi scored two goals to set the World Cup record and Kylian Mbappé kept pace in the career chase, Erling Haaland delivered another dazzling performance on a showcase day for the tournament's top stars.
Haaland scored twice for Norway in the first 15 minutes of the second half of a 3-2 win over Senegal on Monday night, making up for clanking a shot off the post and getting denied on a header just before halftime.
His performance came hours after Messi scored two for Argentina and Mbappé did the same for France.
Roughly a month away from his 26th birthday, Haaland is showing he can keep up on a team without the same pedigree or championship history.
“He is the best striker,” coach Ståle Solbakken said through an interpreter. “He is not playing for France or Argentina. He scores for Norway.”
The three have combined to score 13 goals in the World Cup: five for Messi and four each for Mbappé and Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot, which Iraq coach Graham Arnold predicted will be a very good competition.
“It’s easier to win the Golden Boot when you play for France and Argentina,” Solbakken said. “But we’ll try to give Erling more games and more help in the next games.”
Messi became the World Cup’s career scoring leader with 18 goals when he and Argentina beat Austria in Arlington, Texas. Mbappé is now at 16, tied with former record holder Miroslav Klose, after he and France beat Iraq 3-0 in Philadelphia.
Playing in his first World Cup, Haaland is at four. Norway last qualified in 1998 — two years before he was born.
“I’m part of something special,” Haaland said. “Norway’s part of something special. We’re making history.”
The 6-foot-5 Manchester City striker has now scored in 12 consecutive competitive matches for Norway. He has 24 goals over that stretch, and the last time Haaland did not score for Norway in a game that mattered was Oct. 13, 2024.
“He’s on fire,” Solbakken said. “I’m very happy for him that he can score on the biggest stage.”
Haaland scored his first goal against Senegal on a 4-on-2 rush, putting behind him the frustration from earlier. After getting his second by banking a right-footed shot off the crossbar and in, he held his left hand up to his left ear to encourage cheers of a large contingent of red-clad Norway fans.
Asked how he was doing it, Haaland struggled for an explanation.
“It’s my specialty to score goals,” Haaland said. “It’s like many other things: I’m just really good at scoring goals, and I’m quite lucky. I don’t know what I’m doing, but yeah. That’s just how it is.”
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AP Soccer Writer James Robson in Atlanta and AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston in Philadelphia contributed to this report.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/FIFA-World-Cup
