France Roll Over Norway in Boston as Dembélé Stars and Haaland Stays on the Bench

Boston drew a nearly one-kilometer line downtown on Sunday, but it was not for a World Cup celebrity appearance. The crowd had gathered for the opening of a new Asian fashion store, underscoring how the tournament has reached the United States without stopping ordinary city life. The match itself, France against Norway in Boston, was framed as a battle between the next global stars, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland, even though Haaland never took the field.

Norway rotated heavily and sent out a largely second-string lineup, with only Sander Berge retaining his place from the previous match against Senegal. France, meanwhile, had the stronger following in the stands, with blue, white and red flags and chants of “Allez les Bleus,” while Norwegian fans answered more quietly. The stadium also reminded everyone that this was American ground, with New England Patriots championship banners hanging above the action.

Mbappé immediately hit the frame of the goal on a lightning break, then set up Ousmane Dembélé for the opener in the 7th minute. In the 20th minute, Mbappé again punished Norway’s midfield and fed Dembélé for a second, before Alexander Sørloth and his teammates briefly answered through Antonio Nusa to make it 2-1. Dembélé completed a first-half hat trick in the 32nd minute after a precise pass from Aurélien Tchouaméni, and France went into halftime looking dominant.

Norway had a chance to claw back when Larsen earned a penalty in the 49th minute, but Mike Maignan saved it. The Norwegian crowd later chanted “We Want Haaland!” in the 80th minute, but coach Ståle Solbakken kept him unused. In stoppage time, Désiré Doué headed in France’s fourth goal to close out a 4-1 win. France looked like a highly polished attacking machine even without coach Didier Deschamps, who was absent after his mother’s death.