Heerenveen's former player Hussein Ali made his World Cup debut in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday against Norway. The 24-year-old defender, who previously wore the SC Heerenveen shirt, started in the lineup and immediately faced the strong attack from Norway, led by Erling Haaland. The match took place in Boston and ended in a 1-4 defeat for Iraq. Despite a strong start from Iraq, where Aymen Hussein scored the equalizer, Iraq's defense could not withstand Norway's pressure. Ali was substituted in the second half as Norway extended their lead to a comfortable victory. This result places Iraq at the bottom of Group I, with tough matches against France on the horizon. The match also had a Heerenveen twist, as Morten Thorsby, another former Heerenveen player, was part of the Norwegian squad but did not see any action.