France beats Norway 4-1, stays unbeaten in group
France went ahead in the 7th minute, doubled their lead in the 20th, and watched Norway pull one back just a minute later in the 21st to make it 1-2. But that brief hope didn't last long, France restored their two-goal cushion in the 32nd minute to go into halftime firmly in control at 1-3.
France controlled 57% of the ball and fired off 19 shots compared to Norway's 10, with 10 shots on target to Norway's five. Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, and Desire Doue gave Norway's back line nightmares all evening, constantly switching positions and pulling defenders out of shape, while Mbappe loomed as a threat in behind throughout.
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From Norway, Jorgen Strand Larsen and the busy midfield trio of Kristian Thorstvedt, Patrick Berg, and Oscar Bobb kept trying to play their way through France's lines, and they did manage five shots on target of their own. Goalkeeper Egil Selvik also did his part, making four saves to keep the score from getting even more lopsided.
Both sides used all five of their substitutes as the game wore on, and Norway picked up a yellow card late in the second half as frustration crept in. The killer blow arrived in stoppage time, with France scoring a fourth goal in the 90th minute to wrap up a comfortable 4-1 win.
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This result builds on what's been a strong group stage for France. They followed up an opening 4-1 win over Iraq with this performance, and have now scored heavily in back-to-back matches, a clear warning sign for whoever faces them in the knockout rounds.
Manager Didier Deschamps will be especially pleased with how his front line rotated and combined throughout, making it almost impossible for Norway to settle into a defensive rhythm.
For Norway, this is a tough loss to swallow, especially after beating Senegal 3-2 in their previous game. They'll have to regroup quickly, with their group stage finale against the Ivory Coast still to come and their qualification hopes now hanging on the results elsewhere in the group.
