Norway 1-4 France: Dembele bags hat trick as France top Group I

‘We want Haaland!’ chant the fans here in Boston.

They probably aren’t going to see him.

Norway make their last few subs and Haaland isn’t one of them.

That is a real shame.

France just keep on bringing on superb attackers with Cherki and Barcola on for Dembele and Olise.

Barcola is in down the left and tries to squeeze home a shot at the near post but it is saved.

France just keep on pouring forward whenever they get the chance.

Kylian Mbappe is still on the pitch with just over 25 minutes to go.

France are trying to get him the ball in the box to get him his goal, and he danced towards goal but his low shot was blocked well.

Mbappe is frustrated he hasn’t scored but he’s buzzing around everywhere.

Norway have been gifted a chance back into this game but they haven’t taken it.

They were awarded a penalty kick after Oscar Bobb was tripped by Theo Hernandez, and Jorgen Strand Larsen steps up.

But his penalty kick is pretty poor and Mike Maignan saves easily.

Big let-off for France there.

When we saw the lineups we figured this might happen.

France went pretty much full strength and Ousmane Dembele has scored three, and France could have had three more.

Norway have had a couple of big chances themselves, but they are missing so many good players after making 10 changes to their lineup.

I wonder if we will see Haaland in the second half?

Norway had a decent chance from a set piece but every time France come forward they look like scoring.

Desire Doue and Michael Olise have gone close, while Dembele has a chance for his fourth but decides to pass it instead of shooting.

He isn’t getting greedy, even though everyone in this stadium from a French perspective wanted him to shoot for his fourth goal of this wild first half.

Wow, Ousmane Dembele, that is a special hat trick.

The French winger completes a trio of beautiful goals just after the half hour mark as he cuts inside and curls home.

I thought this game was supposed to be about Haaland vs Mbappe!?

Dembele has other ideas. That is his fourth goal of the tournament.

I’m starting to understand even more why those France fans I spoke to outside the ground were so confident...

Just after going 2-0 up and looking like they were going to run away with it, France let Norway run straight through them and score.

Thelo Aasgaard is wide-open on the edge of the box and slots home to make it 2-1.

Dayot Upamecano won’t want to see that again.

What a game we have brewing here in Boston!

Ousmane Dembele with another stunner for France!

Kylian Mbappe finds him again with a great pass, but Dembele cuts inside and curls home a stunner to get his second.

The French fans are doing the conga in the stands here in Boston.

A big chance for the Crystal Palace striker, in for Erling Haaland today, and Jorgen Strand Larsen will want that one back.

Lovely cross from the right sees him take the ball down really well but he leans back and puts the bouncing ball over the bar from close range.

Norway almost got in before that too, but just chose the wrong ball at the pivotal time.

Good response from the Scandinavians to that early French barrage.

A belter of a goal from Ousmane Dembele!

France get in down the right, again, and Dembele cuts inside and out, then spanks an effort into the far corner.

What a finish, and what a ball from Mbappe to set him up.

The crowd goes wild here in Boston and France could be 3-0 up inside the first eight minutes.

Much-changed Norway haven’t woken up.

France are getting in on their right flank time and time again.

This time the ball is cut back to Kone on the edge of the box and his drilled shot is pushed away well by Selvik.

It’s early, but it feels like Norway’s goalkeeper is going to have a busy day here in Boston.

My word, what a start that would have been!

Kylian Mbappe is clean through down the right over the top and smashes the crossbar from a tight angle after about 20 seconds here in Boston.

What a goal that would have been from Mbappe and the crowd react with plenty of oohs and aahs.

That was peak Mbappe. How can you stop him in this kind of form!?

The flags are out and everyone is having a great time.

Players are about to come out onto the pitch and there is a lot of respect between Norway and France here.

This is what the World Cup is all about.

The general vibe among the French fans here in Boston is that they’re going to win the World Cup. Very easily.

They are full of confidence, and why wouldn’t you be with their squad, but particularly that attack?

I spoke with Nono Bogoss and Karim Djzair about France’s hopes, and they were super confident, as were all the French fans I spoke to.

I spoke to Norway fan Hanne Kristine Austenaa outside the stadium and she is extremely excited about the journey Norway have been on, but is taking each game as it comes.

“It has been so hilarious. We have taken over Times Square in New York and here in Boston as well. I think the U.S. has really been a great place for the World Cup and we have been rowing our way overseas. It has been a lot of fun for us and it has been over 25 years since Norway has been in the World Cup, it is a huge thing for us.”

Pretty much full strength for France with Kylian Mnappe leading the line and Dembele, Olise and Doue starting underneath him in attack.

Les Bleus are going all-out to secure top spot in Group I and get an easier path through the knockout rounds.

France starting lineup

Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Lacroix, T. Hernandez; Kone, Tchouameni; Dembele, Olise, Doue; Mbappe

Okay, there were whispers it was going to happen, but Erling Haaland is starting on the bench for Norway.

Jorgen Strand Larsen starts up top instead of him, while Martin Odegaard is also rested as Norway coach Stale Solbakken rotates his lineup.

Norway starting lineup

Selvik; Aursnes, Ostigard, Falchener, Bjorkan; Berg, Thorstvedt, Aasgaard; Bobb, Strand Larsen, Schjelderup

This is the scene here in Boston as fans are mingling and it is a beautiful time.

Overhead one fan say “this is what sports is all about!” and that is spot on.

You do not want to miss this clash in Boston, as Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe meet and top spot in Group I is on the line.

There is a brilliant atmosphere here in Boston, as Norwegian fans are in dreamland with their team already in the Round of 32 and they can have a real go at top spot with Erling Haaland in fine form.

But France are a formidable force and their fine attacking talents, led by the legendary Kylian Mbappe, will be ready to pounce and claim top spot for themselves.

How to watch Norway vs France live, stream link and start time

Kick off time: 3pm ET Friday (June 26)
Venue: Gillette Stadium — Boston
TV Channel: Telemundo
Streaming: Stream live on Peacock, en Espanol

Here are the simple scenarios for who needs what from this game to finish as Group I winners:

• France win the group with a win or a draw
• Norway win the group with a win

If this game ends in a draw both teams will finish on seven points, but due to their record in games against one another being the same, France will have the edge on overall goal difference.

So, France can play for a draw to win the group. Even though they probably won’t.

Norway just have to go for it and that should lead to a wonderful game here in Boston.

Both Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe have scored four goals in their opening two games of the tournament so far, with the superstars dazzling.

Now they meet in Boston and everyone has been looking forward to this since the draw was made back in December.

But especially because this duo are now in sensational form and this game is for top spot in Group I.

This rivalry will be the new Messi vs Ronaldo rivalry soon, and this clash in Boston could be its real origin story.

The clash of styles of Haaland and Mbappe is similar to that of Messi vs Ronaldo and that is what makes this so intriguing. Both players score so many goals and are so good at what they do. But they do it in very different ways, both spectacularly successful.