Brahim Diaz strikes but Odegaard earns Norway a draw with Morocco

Morocco were denied a winning send-off before the World Cup as Norway captain Martin Odegaard struck a late equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw in the two sides’ final warm-up on 7 June. Brahim Diaz had put Morocco ahead inside the opening ten minutes at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, but Odegaard levelled with a quarter of an hour to play.

Diaz strikes early, Odegaard responds

Morocco made the brighter start. Brahim Diaz turned home in the eighth minute after a clever ball from Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, and the Atlas Lions looked the more dangerous side for long stretches, finishing with 13 shots to Norway’s nine. For all that pressure, they could not add a second, and it eventually cost them.

Norway grew into the game and found their leveller on 75 minutes. Oscar Bobb drove down the left and pulled the ball back for Odegaard, who swept a left-footed finish past the goalkeeper. The Arsenal midfielder was Norway’s best player on the night, even as Erling Haaland endured a quiet evening with only a handful of touches before he was withdrawn.

Two sides arriving with different stories

For Morocco, this was the last work before a daunting opener. The side that reached the semi-finals in 2022, becoming the first African team to go that far at a World Cup, have been drawn in Group C and begin against Brazil on 13 June, with Haiti and Scotland also in the group. The draw will not worry them too much, given they looked sharp and created the better chances.

Norway, meanwhile, are simply happy to be back. They have reached the World Cup for the first time since 1998, ending a 28-year absence, and go into Group I alongside France, Senegal and Iraq with Haaland leading the line. A point against a side as well regarded as Morocco, snatched late through their captain, is the kind of result they will carry into the tournament with confidence.

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