Dembele’s Hat-Trick Sends France Past Norway and to Top of Group 9

Ousmane Dembele produced the standout performance of the match, scoring a first-half hat-trick to lead France to a 4-1 win over Norway in Boston. The result gave France a perfect group-stage record and first place in Group 9, while Norway finished second and will face Ivory Coast in the knockout round. France still does not know its next opponent.

Both teams arrived with perfect records and had already secured places in the round of 32, but Norway needed a victory to finish top. Instead, Norway rotated heavily, leaving stars including Erling Haaland on the bench, and paid the price. France, playing without coach Didier Deschamps after his mother died during the week, fielded its strongest lineup with Kylian Mbappe, Dembele and Michael Olise.

France struck early, with Dembele opening the scoring in the 7th minute after Mbappe found him. Dembele doubled the lead in the 20th minute, Norway answered through Telo Osgaard a minute later, and Dembele completed his treble in the 32nd minute after beating two defenders and finishing left-footed. Norway had a chance to get back into it in the 50th minute when the referee awarded a penalty for a foul by Theo Hernandez on Oscar Bob, but Jurgen Strand Larsen was denied by Mike Maignan.

Norway created more chances, including another save by Maignan from Bob in the 72nd minute, but France sealed the result in stoppage time when Desire Doue headed in from a Bradley Barcola cross. France finished the group stage on maximum points, and Norway now turns to the knockout stage against Ivory Coast.