What happened: Erling Haaland marked his FIFA World Cup debut with two goals in the first half of a Group I match on Tuesday. The Erling Haaland who dominated qualifying scored in the 29th and 43rd minutes. His brace helped Norway establish a 2-1 lead over Iraq at the halftime interval.

Why it matters: The performance immediately validates Haaland's status as a Golden Boot favorite in his first major international tournament. Following Norway's 28-year absence from the competition, the clinical start provides a significant boost to their hopes of advancing from a tough group. The market moved in favor of Haaland's scoring props early as he capitalized on defensive lapses.

What to watch: Norway will look to secure its position in Group I in their next match against Senegal on June 21. All eyes remain on Haaland to see if he can challenge for the tournament scoring record.