African champions Senegal have crashed out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Norway in a stunning Group I encounter on Sunday.
Few would have predicted the outcome as Norway produced one of the tournament’s biggest upsets, overturning expectations to defeat the highly-rated Lions of Teranga and strengthen their chances of advancing to the knockout stage.
The Norwegians were inspired by a sensational hat-trick from Penserson, who found the net in the 43rd, 48th and 58th minutes to put his side firmly in control.
His clinical finishing left Senegal chasing the game for much of the contest.
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Senegal responded through Ismaila Sarr, who reduced the deficit in the 53rd minute before adding another goal deep into stoppage time at 90+3 minutes.
However, the late effort proved insufficient as Norway held on for a memorable victory.
The defeat marks a second loss of the tournament and confirms the exit of the reigning African champions, a result that will come as a major disappointment for their supporters.
Norway’s remarkable triumph has emerged as one of the biggest surprises of the World Cup so far, highlighting once again the unpredictable nature of football’s biggest stage.
With a 3-2 victory over Senegal, the Scandinavian side has kept its World Cup dream alive while bringing the African giants’ campaign to a premature end.