The much-anticipated World Cup meeting between Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé did not happen after all.
Haaland was one of 10 changes made by Norway manager Ståle Solbakken. The striker had to watch as Ousmane Dembélé recorded a first-half hat trick during a 4-1 France victory on Friday at Gillette Stadium.
Both Norway and France were already qualified for the Round of 32, but the match determined who would win the group. France will now play the third-place team from Group C, D, F, G, or H on June 30 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Norway will take on Ivory Coast at AT&T Stadium in Texas also on Tuesday.
World Cup schedule | Group schedule, results | Standings
Being an unused sub did not help Haaland's run for the Golden Boot as the top goal scorer of the World Cup. As group stage play nears its end, Haaland is currently tied for second on four goals with Mbappé, Dembélé and Brazil's Vinícius Júnior. All are one goal behind Argentina's Lionel Messi (5 goals).
The 10 changes made by Solbakken signaled his preference to rest his players for the knockout round. No Norway players were carrying yellow cards into the match, thereby putting them at risk for a one-game suspension if they received a second caution.
Source: Yahoo Entertainment
