France secured the group victory in Group I with a 3-1 win against Norway on Friday. In a parallel match, Senegal achieved a clear 5-0 triumph over Iraq, thereby maintaining its minimal chance of advancing.
In Boston, France started strong, taking the lead early through Ousmane Dembele in the seventh minute. The forward further increased their advantage before halftime, scoring in the 20th and 32nd minutes following quick, targeted attacks. Although Norway found a way back through Thelo Aasgaard in the 21st minute, they remained too prone to errors overall. After the break, Jorgen Strand Larsen missed a major opportunity for a 2-3 goal with a free-kick, which was parried by French goalkeeper Mike Maignan. France then controlled the remainder of the game with considerable authority. As a result, France advanced to the Round of 16 as the group leader, a victory that could potentially set up an opponent for Germany in the Round of 16.
The parallel game in Toronto saw a much more one-sided contest in favor of Senegal. The “Teranga Lions” took the lead early via Abdoulaye Seck in the fourth minute and shortly thereafter benefited from a red card issued to Rebin Sulaka in the 14th minute after a last-ditch tackle. Playing with a numerical advantage, Senegal upped the score after the half: Ismaila Sarr made it 2-0 in the 56th minute, and just three minutes later, Pape Gueye struck a spectacular long-range goal to make it 3-0. The gap widened further in the 72nd minute when Senegal reached 4-0.
Senegal added another touch in the final period; Iliman Ndiaye sealed the 5-0 scoreline in the 82nd minute with a precise long-range shot. Iraq lacked significant attacking impetus throughout the match and struggled to cope with the sustained pressure from Senegal. Senegal finishes as the third-placed team in Group I, while Iraq failed to qualify for the Round of 16.
