New york: France's final group match against Norway was anticipated as a face-off between Kylian Mbapp© and Erling Haaland, but it was Ousmane Demb©l© who stole the spotlight, scoring a hat-trick that secured the top spot for Les Bleus in Group I.
According to France24.com, Demb©l©'s three goals, all scored within 25 minutes of the first half, propelled the 2018 world champions and 2022 runners-up into the knockout phase of the tournament. This victory was a tribute to coach Didier Deschamps, who had returned to France to attend his mother's funeral.
By finishing at the top of Group I, France is likely to face Sweden in the first knockout round, while Norway, as the runner-up, will compete against Ivory Coast. Deschamps is expected to rejoin the team on Saturday to prepare for the next phase.
Both France and Norway had already secured spots in the Round of 32 before the match on Friday, but France aimed to top the group to benefit from a lighter travel schedule in the tournament's North American route.
Norway's coach, Stale Solbakken, made the tactical decision to rest most of his regular starters, including stars Haaland and Martin Odegaard, making France's task somewhat easier.
From the kickoff, France went on the offensive. Mbapp© nearly scored within 20 seconds, hitting the bar, before assisting Demb©l©'s first goal six minutes later. Demb©l© scored again in the 20th minute, and after Norway's Thelo Aasgaard briefly narrowed the lead, Demb©l© completed his hat-trick with a precise low shot in the 32nd minute.
The match saw a missed opportunity for Norway when Jorgen Strand Larsen's penalty was saved by Mike Maignan. France sealed their victory with a fourth goal by D©sir© Dou© in the final moments of the game.
Solbakken explained his decision to rest key players, emphasizing the long-term strategy for Norway's World Cup journey. "The only argument against resting them was for the fans, but we aim to go as far as possible in the tournament," he stated.