World Cup: Dembele scores hat-trick as France beat Norway, Senegal stay alive

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Ousmane Dembele scored a first-half hat-trick as France powered past Norway 4-1 to clinch top spot in World Cup Group I on Friday as Senegal kept their hopes of a last-32 spot alive with a thumping victory over Iraq.

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Paris Saint-Germain’s reigning Ballon D’Or winner Dembele scored in the 7th, 20th and 32nd minutes as France maintained their 100 percent start to the tournament with another dazzling attacking display.

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The pre-match hype around Friday’s game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, outside Boston, had focused on a duel between France striker Kylian Mbappe and Norwegian counterpart Erling Haaland.

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But that much-anticipated showdown never materialised after Norway opted to leave Manchester City star Haaland on the bench.

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Instead it was left to Dembele to take centre-stage from team-mate Mbappe, in a potent example of France’s fearsome offensive arsenal.

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Norway, who needed a win to leapfrog France into first place, threatened a comeback when Thelo Aasgaard scored after 21 minutes.

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But Dembele’s third goal restored France’s two-goal cushion, and although Jorgen Strand Larsen missed a penalty in the 50th minute for Norway, the 2022 World Cup runners-up never looked like surrendering control.

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Dembele’s PSG team-mate Desire Doue bagged France’s fourth in stoppage time to complete the scoring.

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Friday’s game had gone ahead against a troubled backdrop for France, with coach Didier Deschamps leaving the team earlier this week following the death of his mother.

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Both teams meanwhile paid tribute to the victims of the devastating Venezuela earthquake just before kick-off, lining up for a moment of silence.

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Senegal stay alive

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France will now face one of the eight best third-placed teams in the last 32, while Norway will take on Ivory Coast in Dallas on June 30 for a place in the last 16.

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Senegal meanwhile gave themselves a fighting chance of reaching the last 32 with a 5-0 drubbing of Iraq in their final group game, boosting their goal difference to win their first points of the tournament.

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Senegal, who have three points, must now wait for the remaining group games elsewhere to play out before learning if they have done enough to squeeze into the knockouts.

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In other games on Friday, Spain will aim to clinch top spot in Group H with a potentially awkward clash with Uruguay in Guadalajara, Mexico.

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The Uruguayans will need to take at least a point from the fixture to have a chance of progressing to the last 32 after being held to a 2-2 draw by lowly Cape Verde in their second game.

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Spain will clinch first place in the group with a draw.

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Cape Verde meanwhile will attempt to continue their fairytale campaign with a victory over Saudi Arabia.

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In Group G, Egypt will attempt to clinch top spot with victory over Iran in Seattle in a game that has been laced with controversy.

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Friday’s game is part of city-wide events to celebrate Pride in Seattle, and was designated as the “Pride Match” by local officials before the identities of the teams involved was known.

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Iranian and Egyptian officials have both raised objections to the Seattle Pride celebrations around their fixture.

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Homosexuality is illegal in Iran under Islamic law and can be punishable by death. In Egypt, homosexuality is often penalized under vaguely worded laws prohibiting “debauchery.”

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In the other Group G game, Belgium’s ageing squad featuring Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku will attempt to reach the knockout rounds with a victory over New Zealand.

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AFP

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