Now it's on to Brazil

LIVE: Ivory Coast vs. Dark Horse Norway

Erling Haaland was there when the Norwegians needed him!(Bild: AP/Tony Gutierrez)

Superstar Erling Haaland scored the winning goal in the 86th minute to give Norway a 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast. The dark horse thus advances to the World Cup round of 16, where it will face Brazil. For much of the match, however, Norway struggled against a strong Ivory Coast team. After Antonio Nusa opened the scoring in the 39th minute, the Africans showed great resilience and tied the game with a goal by Amad Diallo in the 74th minute. And even after Haaland’s goal, they remained a threat. In stoppage time, Norway’s goalkeeper Orjan Nyland had to make a spectacular save to prevent the equalizer. 

Erling Haaland sent Norway to the Round of 16 at the World Cup with his fifth goal of the tournament. The striker scored the winning goal in the 86th minute to seal a 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast in the first knockout round on Tuesday in Dallas. Antonio Nusa (39th minute) had put the Norwegians ahead, while Amad Diallo (74th minute) had tied the score at 1-1. In the Round of 16 on Sunday in New Jersey, the Scandinavians will face record-holding world champions Brazil, who defeated Japan 2-1.

After resting nearly the entire starting lineup in the meaningless match against France (1–4), Norway’s head coach Stale Solbakken returned to his first-choice lineup. In the indoor stadium, both teams started their very first-ever matchup with a clear attacking mindset. Clear-cut chances were few and far between in the first half-hour, though the Ivorians had the upper hand.

The 1-0 goal by Leipzig’s Nusa (39th minute) was a thing of beauty: the forward, played in unmarked, cut inside the penalty area and curled the ball with his right foot almost perfectly into the top corner. Shortly afterward, the Norwegians came close to making it 2-0 with a blocked Haaland shot from close range and a header by Alexander Sörloth.

Haaland scores, goalie makes the save
The Ivorians, led by captain Franck Kessie, started the second half with more offensive pressure, but the Norwegians held firm and continued to pose a goal threat of their own. In the 67th minute, center back Torbjörn Heggem had a chance to score the second goal, but an opponent cleared the ball off the line. Shortly afterward, substitute Amad Diallo (74') tied the game at 1-1 with a left-footed shot following a give-and-go and a fine dribble into the penalty area.

The Norwegians then pressed for the winner, driven by captain Martin Ödegaard. The goal ultimately came from goal machine Haaland (86th minute). The Manchester City striker converted a cross from Berg from close range with a bit of luck. With this goal, he closed in on the tournament’s leading scorer, Lionel Messi, who has six goals. Deep into stoppage time, goalkeeper Orjan Nyland secured the victory with a save on a free kick by Diallo.

In their first World Cup appearance since 1998, the Norwegians have reached the round of 16, just as they did back then. For the Ivory Coast, being eliminated in the round of 32 in what is also their fourth World Cup marks their best performance to date.