Key Takeaways:
- On Saturday in New Jersey, Martin Odegaard’s late goal earned Norway a 1-1 draw with Morocco in both teams’ concluding World Cup warm-up friendly
- Brahim Diaz netted his 14th goal for Morocco, who saw their winning run halted after three consecutive victories
- Norway will face Iraq on Tuesday, 16 June in their first FIFA World Cup finals match since 1998
Match Analysis
Norway and Morocco played out a closely contested 1-1 draw in New Jersey, as both squads wrapped up their preparation matches ahead of the FIFA World Cup. Martin Odegaard’s late intervention denied the Atlas Lions a fourth straight win, while also providing a confidence boost for Stale Solbakken’s side before their tournament opener.
The match featured two strong starting elevens, with both captains, Achraf Hakimi and Martin Odegaard, returning to their respective line-ups just over a week after clashing in the UEFA Champions League final for Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal. Erling Haaland, Norway’s all-time leading scorer, marked his 50th senior international appearance, but had limited involvement during a first half dominated by Morocco.
Brahim Díaz and Martin Ødegaard score as Morocco and Norway draw in their friendly ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup 🇲🇦🤝🇳🇴 pic.twitter.com/WUMljHbawG
— OneFootball (@OneFootball) June 7, 2026
First Half: Morocco Impress Early
The Atlas Lions looked the livelier in the opening phases. Azzedine Ounahi threatened early on but saw his shot blocked, before Brahim Diaz broke the deadlock in the eighth minute. Diaz collected Abde Ezzalzouli’s pass on the edge of the area and drilled low past Orjan Nyland for his 14th goal for his country.
Norway responded soon after, with Kristoffer Ajer heading just wide in the 14th minute and Alexander Sorloth having an equaliser disallowed for a foul on Noussair Mazraoui. Mazraoui’s participation was cut short due to injury, and Youssef Belammari entered the fray before the half-hour, posing concerns for Morocco manager Mohamed Ouahbi ahead of their Group C opener against Brazil on Saturday.
Morocco continued to pose an attacking threat despite the reshuffle, as Ezzalzouli fired over from close range late in the half. Norway’s Antonio Nusa forced a spectacular save from Yassine Bounou to keep the score at 1-0. Ezzalzouli required treatment prior to the interval and was replaced by Soufiane Rahimi at half-time, adding to the injury worries facing Ouahbi.
Second Half: Norway Rally After Changes
The second period commenced with less intensity from Morocco, though they nearly extended their lead through Diaz, whose powerful shot was parried by Nyland before Neil El Aynoui headed over from the rebound. Manager Ouahbi responded with seven substitutions just past the hour mark, while Norway’s changes ultimately proved pivotal.
Oscar Bobb, introduced in the second half, combined superbly with Odegaard, supplying the assist as the Norwegian captain netted his fifth international goal with 15 minutes to play. Norway pressed for a winner, with substitute Kristian Thorstvedt nodding wide from a Julian Ryerson free-kick, but neither side could claim victory.
With this outcome, Norway repeated a rare recent result, failing to win for only the fourth time in their previous 16 matches (D3, L1). Morocco, meanwhile, remain unbeaten under Ouahbi’s leadership (W3, D2) as they prepare to meet Brazil.
| Goal Scorers | Minute | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Brahim Diaz | 8′ | Morocco |
| Martin Odegaard | 75′ | Norway |
What’s Next
Norway now shift their focus to Iraq, their opponents on Tuesday, 16 June, marking the country’s long-awaited return to the World Cup finals since their last campaign in 1998. Morocco, semi-finalists in 2022, will carry their unbeaten streak into a high-profile clash with Brazil as Group C gets under way.
