Norway sits Erling Haaland, and 9 others, against France to rest up for knockout stage at World Cup

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Norway striker Erling Haaland and nine of the team's other regular starters needed rest more than a first-place finish in their World Cup group.

“It’s a no-brainer," coach Ståle Solbakken said Friday after a 4-1 loss to France left the Norwegians in second place in the group. "The fans around Norway and also in the arena would have liked to see Erling. But that is not really the issue. We want to proceed as long as we can in the tournament.”

Already in the knockout round but with a chance to win the group with a victory over France on Friday, Solbakken decided to rest 10 of the players who started the previous game. France, which won the World Cup in 2018 and lost in the final four years ago, took a 3-1 lead on Ousmane Dembélé's first-half hat trick, and earned a round of 32 matchup with a third-place team.

“I would lie if I said that I wasn’t a little bit surprised, for sure,” France defender Jules Koundé said. “No matter which player we have in front of us, we are always trying to do our best and win. We wanted to finish first on the table and that’s what we did, so pretty happy about it.”

Norway would have needed to beat France to win the group because they trailed on goal difference heading into the match. Instead, Norway will next face the Ivory Coast, also second-place finisher, on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.

Solbakken said the team's short break after Monday's victory over Senegal convinced him it was more important to rest his regulars than go for the victory. Among the changes, Egil Selvik was in goal in place of Orjan Nyland against France's regular lineup.

“I think it’s smart,” midfielder Patrick Berg said. “It’s hopefully for us a long tournament. So being able to rest somebody and at the same time give somebody — who has been here for some weeks now, training really hard — give them the opportunity to perform against one of the best teams, I think it was a win-win situation for us.”

Haaland, a Manchester City forward who has been the Premier League's leading scorer three of the last four seasons, entered the day with four World Cup goals, tied for second with Brazil’s Vinícius Júnior and France’s Kylian Mbappé, and trailing only Argentina's Lionel Messi.

But Norwegian fans who spent thousands to travel to the United States and even more for their match tickets were deprived of seeing one of the World Cup's star attractions.

“I feel this consideration,” Solbakken said. “But we have given them a couple of victories, and we are giving them an opportunity to watch more games ... We are here to proceed as long as we can. And I need to make decisions to proceed as long as possible.”

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Norway's Erling Haaland (9), foreground, and his teammates sing the national anthem before the World Cup Group I soccer match between Norway and France in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

France's Kylian Mbappe and Norway's Erling Haaland, left, greet each other before the World Cup Group I soccer match between Norway and France in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Norway's Erling Haaland and Martin Oedegaard, right, take their seats on the bench before during the World Cup Group I soccer match between Norway and France in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Norway's Erling Haaland applauds at the end of the World Cup Group I soccer match between Norway and France in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Norway's Erling Haaland and France's Desire Doue, left, shake hands at the end of the World Cup Group I soccer match between Norway and France in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Norway's Erling Haaland exercises with his team during a training session in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, ahead of the World Cup Group I soccer match between Norway and France, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Norway's Erling Haaland exercises with his team during a training session in Foxborough, Mass., near Boston, ahead of the World Cup Group I soccer match between Norway and France, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Pietra Tordin scored three goals and the visiting Portland Thorns held off the Boston Legacy 4-3 on Sunday in the first meeting between the teams.

In the day’s other National Women’s Soccer League matches, Angel City FC and the Seattle Reign played to a 2-2 draw, and Bay FC and the Chicago Stars went scoreless.

At Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Tordin’s first career hat trick gave Portland enough cushion to survive Boston’s comeback attempt after Thorns coach Robert Vilahamn was ejected in the 58th minute for intentionally deflecting a dead ball away from play.

Awarded a free kick in just the second minute of the match, Tordin pinged the shot off goalkeeper Casey Murphy’s gloves. Four minutes later, Sophia Wilson scored to put Portland ahead 2-0.

Tordin added her second goal after Jessie Fleming intercepted a pass, extending Portland’s lead to 3-0.

Six minutes after Boston’s Bianca St-Georges cut into Portland’s lead in the 31st minute, Thorns goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold sent a long ball forward that found Tordin running toward goal. Tordin finished the chance and became the youngest Thorn to ever score a hat trick at 22. She leads the NWSL with 15 goals.

Alba Caño and Amanda Gutierres each scored in the second half to pull Boston (5-10-5) within one, but Portland (10-6-4) held on in the highest-scoring NWSL match of the season.

The Seattle Reign and Angel City FC played to a draw after visiting Angel City (7-7-4) rallied late in the second half.

With Angel City down 2-1 in the 72nd minute, Evelyn Shores — who entered as a substitute in the 69th — played a long ball to Prisca Chilufya, who also entered in the 69th. Chilufya finished with ease.

The Reign (7-7-4) fell behind in the 32nd minute when 20-year-old Angel City defender Gisele Thompson tiptoed around Seattle’s defense and slotted a shot past goalkeeper Claudia Dickey.

Seattle equalized in the 50th minute when Sally Menti collected a precise pass from Mia Fishel and fired past goalkeeper Angelina Anderson. Two minutes later, Menti set up Fishel for a powerful strike.

In Evanston, Illinois, Bay FC and the Chicago Stars had three goals disallowed for offside before settling for a scoreless draw.

Chicago (4-13-2) appeared to take the lead in the 26th minute when Anna Gasper’s shot found the back of the net, but the goal was ruled out for an offside call against a teammate.

Visiting Bay (5-9-5) had two goals disallowed later in the match, including Alex Pfeiffer’s first-half finish and Karlie Lema’s second-half header.

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Angel City FC forward Prisca Chilufya, left, celebrates her goal with midfielder Ary Borges, second from left, against Seattle Reign FC during the second half of an NWSL soccer match, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Angel City FC forward Prisca Chilufya, right, hugs teammate Riley Tiernan, left, to celebrate her goal against Seattle Reign FC during the second half of an NWSL soccer match, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Reign FC goalkeeper Claudia Dickey can't stop the goal from Angel City FC forward Prisca Chilufya during the second half of an NWSL soccer match, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Angel City FC forward Prisca Chilufya celebrates after scoring against Seattle Reign FC during the second half of an NWSL soccer match, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)