Haaland’s Late Drama Sends Norway Past Ivory Coast

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Erling Haaland tapped home a dramatic late winner to send Norway into the World Cup last 16, booking a blockbuster showdown with Brazil.

The Manchester City striker had been kept quiet in Dallas until the 86th minute of a tense encounter that saw brilliant strikes traded by Antonio Nusa and Amad Diallo. But when Patrick Berg whipped in a late cutback, Haaland was exactly where you’d expect him to be, bobbling the ball home from six yards out.

The strike marks the 13th consecutive competitive international in which Haaland has found the net, securing Norway’s first-ever victory in a World Cup knockout match.

Super-Sub Amad Almost Forces Extra Time

Ivory Coast looked to have forced extra time thanks to a superb 74th-minute equalizer from second-half substitute Amad. Surprisingly left out of the starting lineup, Amad’s absence was felt early on as manager Emerse Fae opted for a defensive 4-1-4-1 formation. The conservative approach backfired, leaving the Ivorians struggling to create anything before falling behind in the 39th minute.

While Nusa doesn’t command the same headlines as his strike partner Haaland, the 21-year-old RB Leipzig winger produced a moment of pure magic. Cutting inside from the left flank, he curled a brilliant right-footed effort straight into the top corner.

Having scored first in all three of their group games, Ivory Coast suddenly found themselves chasing. Fae threw Amad into the mix for the second half, and the 23-year-old quickly reminded his manager what the team had been missing. Cutting in from the right, he danced past two defenders and slotted home his second goal of the tournament.

Just minutes earlier, the Manchester United winger had made an equally vital impact at the other end of the pitch, clearing a volley off the line after Norway centre-back Torbjorn Heggem somehow failed to convert from four yards out.

Ultimately, in a World Cup defined by superstar forwards, Haaland was never going to be denied the final word.

Big-Stage Pressure Tells in Dallas

This was arguably the biggest match in the history of both footballing nations—the Ivory Coast’s first-ever appearance in a World Cup knockout game, and Norway’s first in 28 years.

That immense pressure showed, with both sides struggling to find their best rhythm for long stretches. Ivory Coast’s teenage sensation, Yan Diomande, was completely muscled out of proceedings—symbolized by a heavy first-half body check from David Moller Wolfe that cut short a promising breakaway.

While Amad sparked the Ivorians to life and nearly forced a 2-2 draw with a late 25-yard free-kick that Orjan Nyland had to palm away, Norway relied on quiet leadership. Captain Martin Odegaard pulled the strings masterfully, setting up Nusa’s opener to become only the third player on record to assist a goal in each of his first three World Cup appearances.

As for Haaland, he delivered when it mattered most, bagging his fifth goal in three World Cup games with another trademark first-time finish.

What’s Next for Norway?

Norway now march on to the Round of 16, where they will face Brazil following the South American giants’ comeback victory over Japan.

The clash kicks off at 21:00 BST on Sunday, 5 July, with the winner potentially facing England in the quarter-finals.

Mbappé at the Double as France Cruise Past Sweden

A Kylian Mbappé brace helped France cruise past Sweden 3-0 at MetLife Stadium, setting up a Round of 16 clash with Paraguay.

Mbappé struck in the 45th and 74th minutes, with Bradley Barcola adding a third in the 53rd, as the French team comfortably handled their business. They now head to Philadelphia on July 4, where they will face a Paraguay side riding high after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Germany.

The Round of 16 Picture

As the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup heat up across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the full Round of 16 lineup has taken shape ahead of the July 19 finale: