France dismantled Norway 4-1 at Gillette Stadium on Friday evening, completing the Group I table with a dominant victory in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
France leads Group I with nine points after three wins. Norway finishes second with six points. Both nations advance to the round of 16, with Senegal and Iraq eliminated.
France lined up in their familiar 4-3-3, with Tchouameni anchored in midfield. Norway settled compact and direct, aiming to threaten on the counter with Bobb and Strand Larsen.
Dembele doubled the lead in the 20th minute with a left-footed strike from outside the box. Norway responded within a minute, with Aasgaard powering home from close range after a good clearance from Schjelderup.
The suspense lasted seconds. Dembele completed his first-half hat-trick in the 32nd minute, finishing powerfully after a flowing French move assisted by Tchouameni, who made it 3-1 at the break.
France managed the game calmly after that, keeping the ball in midfield and limiting Norway to half chances. Doue calmed the nerves in the 94th minute, finishing a low cross from Barcola to seal the result.
Barcola had an immediate effect, driving into the Norwegian backline and eventually setting up Doue’s goal. Nusa and Hauge also replaced Norway in the final ten minutes without success.
Norway’s xG of 1.69 outscored France’s 1.18, suggesting that the score owed much to French clinical finishing and the sloppiness of Norwegian play in front of goal.
