Saliba and Odegaard Lead France and Norway to Knockout Stages
William Saliba and Martin Odegaard are both safely through to the knockout rounds of the FIFA World Cup, their paths sealed on a wild, weather-torn Monday that asked questions of temperament as much as talent.
Saliba shines in a sodden French stroll
In Philadelphia, the rain came down in sheets. It didn’t bother France, and it certainly didn’t rattle Saliba.
The centre-back played the full 90 minutes of a 3-0 win over Iraq at Philadelphia Stadium, anchoring a back line that barely gave up a sniff. Seven defensive interventions, 95% pass accuracy – this was a night of quiet authority rather than desperate last-ditch heroics, the kind of performance that keeps a tournament campaign on the rails.
Up front, Kylian Mbappe did what Kylian Mbappe does. Fourteen minutes in, he put France ahead, tilting the contest decisively. Then the skies truly opened.
A two-hour half-time delay followed as bad weather halted play, the storm crackling above the stadium while both teams tried to stay warm and focused. When the players finally emerged, Mbappe wasted no time. Nine minutes into the restarted second half, he struck again, his brace effectively ending Iraqi resistance.
Ousmane Dembele added the third, a flourish rather than a rescue act, wrapping up a scoreline that reflected France’s control as much as their cutting edge.
Those three goals carry France to the top of Group I with six points from two matches, edging Norway only on goal difference. The margins at major tournaments are often thin; for now, Saliba and his teammates sit where they want to be – in front.
Odegaard pulls the strings in five-goal thriller
While France cruised, Norway had to scrap.
In their 3-2 win over Senegal, Norway led at the break thanks to Marcus Pederson, whose first-half strike gave them a platform but not a cushion. The game always felt alive, one mistake or one moment from turning.
Early in the second half, Martin Odegaard provided that moment – at the right end. Spotting the run of Erling Haaland, the Norway captain sliced Senegal open with an incisive through ball, the kind of pass that defines his game. Haaland did the rest, making it 2-0 and, briefly, giving Norway breathing space.
Senegal refused to fold. Ismaila Sarr pulled one back to drag them into the contest, and the tempo surged. Haaland hit again, Sarr answered with another of his own; the scoreboard kept moving, the stakes rising with every attack.
Norway held on. When the final whistle went, the release was immediate and unmistakable. Odegaard and his teammates broke into a full Norwegian viking row celebration, a show of unity and relief that underlined what progression to the last 32 means to this group.
Two games, two wins. Like France, six points. Only goal difference keeps them in second.
England’s stars step up next
Attention now swings to Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions, who face Ghana in a 9pm kick-off as they chase back-to-back wins of their own.
Declan Rice will marshal the midfield, Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke offer threat from wide areas, and Eberechi Eze brings guile between the lines. Another victory would not just strengthen England’s position; it would send a clear message on a day when Saliba and Odegaard have already underlined their World Cup credentials.
