Erling Haaland scored an 86th-minute winner to send Norway to a dramatic 2-1 win over Ivory Coast – and set up a mouth-watering World Cup last-16 clash with Brazil.
With a tense round-of-32 game heading towards extra-time, Norway’s main man stepped up to tap in Sander Berge’s cross and earn Norway their first World Cup knockout-stage win.
Before that, it was a game of brilliant goals. Much of the talk this summer has been about Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande but it was his RB Leipzig team-mate Antonio Nusa who stole the limelight in Dallas.
Nusa’s curling effort put Norway in front against the run of play. The second half was better from Ivory Coast – as it turned into the Amad Diallo show.
Norway’s Antonio Nusa celebrates after scoring the opening goal
The Manchester United winger came off the bench to stop Torbjorn Heggem from doubling Norway’s lead by clearing off the line. Seven minutes later, he crashed in a stunning solo goal to give the African side hope on their World Cup knockout debut.
But Haaland, as he always does, had the last laugh. Now he’s Brazil’s problem!
Haaland and his Norway team-mates celebrate his winner
The key moments from Dallas…
- 21: Ivory Coast left-back Ghislain Konan crashes a good chance into the side-netting as the African side dominate.
- 22: The first water comes and Haaland has touched the ball just once – a second-minute harmless header at goal.
- 39: GOAL! Norway strike against the run of play as Nusa curls an outstanding strike into the top corner.
- 42: Haaland sees a big close-range chance blocked, while he cannot convert at the far post from the resulting corner.
- 55: Nicolas Pepe sees a low drive from inside the box expertly saved at the near post.
- 67: Heggem meets Martin Odegaard’s corner but Amad somehow clears the volley off the line.
- 75: GOAL! Amad then dazzles at the other end as he jinks past several players before crashing in an equaliser.
- 86: GOAL! Haaland taps home a late winner, after Oscar Bobb set up Berge for a nice cross.
- 90+6: Amad nearly has a second but his free-kick is stopped from going in the top corner by Orjan Nyland.
Analysis: Haaland shows he is elite level in world football
Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz:
This was a game that proved the importance of having an elite-level striker.
Ivory Coast were fairly dominant from start to finish. Fourteen shots, the Expected Goals tally says they should have scored twice. Overall, they missed 1.75 worth of xG.
If only they had Haaland in their team to finish all those chances.
Norway’s main man up front had a really slow start to the game. He only had three touches in the first half – one after two minutes and the other two were in his own box.
He did not have a second-half shot until his goal. But when you have the world’s best striker in the team, you always have a chance.
With goals in his first three World Cup games, Haaland has proven he is the elite of the elite – at every level of the game.
Ivory Coast’s Yan Diomande faded as the game went on
A lot of the talk this summer has been about Diomande and his excellent form this season. He is one of the top young wingers in the world, but he faded towards the end of this game.
Haaland is the level. No matter how many touches he has, or how involved he is – he is always capable of bringing down anyone. And that must scare the life out of Brazil. What a game that will be on Sunday.
