Dembele hat-trick helps France beat second-string Norway 4-1 to top group

Reuters

France striker Ousmane Dembele scored a first-half hat-trick to guide his already-qualified team to a 4-1 win over second-string Norway on Friday and finish top of World Cup Group I.

The 2018 World Cup winners hit the crossbar with Kylian Mbappe's thunderous drive after 25 seconds before the captain delivered a superb through ball for Ballon d'Or winner Dembele to fire them into the lead in the seventh minute.

The 29-year-old added a second goal with a superbly angled shot before Norway, who had qualified in second place and rested 10 of their 11 first-choice starters, including top scorer Erling Haaland, pulled one back when the unmarked Thelo Aasgaard scored a minute later.

Dembele bagged his first World Cup treble with a fine finish in the 32nd before Norway's Jorgen Strand Larsen had a penalty saved five minutes after the restart.

France, who got a fourth goal through Desire Doue in stoppage time, will not know their Round of 32 opponents until Saturday when all group matches are completed but are likely to face Sweden, while Norway will take on Ivory Coast in the knockout stage in Dallas on June 30.