Haaland scores winner to send Norway into last-16 Brazil clash

ARLINGTON: Erling Haaland scored a late winner as Norway set up a last-16 showdown with Brazil at the World Cup after taming the Ivory Coast 2-1 in Texas on Tuesday.

The Manchester City striker prodded in from close range, the ball dribbling in on 86 minutes for his fifth goal of the tournament.

It was the first time that Norway had won a knockout game in the history of the competition and Haaland looked emotional afterwards.

After an even first half that was slow to get going, Antonio Nusa fired Norway into the lead six minutes before the break with one of the goals of the tournament.

Manchester United’s Amad Diallo was sent on for the Ivory Coast and was immediately in the thick of it, stopping a certain second Norway goal and then grabbing a terrific equaliser on 74 minutes.

With extra time looming, predator supreme Haaland got on the end of a cross by Patrick Berg to make some Norwegian history.

They face five-time champions Brazil on Sunday in New Jersey with the quarter-finals at stake.

Norway captain Martin Odegaard said that with Haaland they always had a chance.

“Meeting Brazil in the World Cup is as big as it can be,” said the midfielder, who will face Arsenal team-mates Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli.

“It’s amazing to have him (Haaland) in the team, we’re lucky to have him and it’s just about giving him as many opportunities as possible.”

Diallo said they gifted Norway the winner by failing to pick up Haaland in the box.

The centre forward has scored in each of his last 13 competitive internationals, hitting 25 goals along the way.

“When you leave Erling Haaland alone in a match, you pay the price,” said Diallo.

“We’re a little disappointed because we thought we could go further in this competition.

“But we’re also proud of ourselves because we’ve accomplished something that previous generations perhaps hadn’t managed.”

Red-hot Haaland

A match between two physical teams was tepid to begin with at the impressive air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys.

The Ivory Coast players and fans were irate just before the drinks break when the livewire Yan Diomande was brought down on the break just inside his own half.

Referee Jesus Valenzuela surprisingly did not even book defender David Moller Wolfe.

The 19-year-old winger Diomande, who appears set to join European champions Paris Saint-Germain from RB Leipzig, was growing into the game.

The African side, one of the youngest at the tournament, were on top and particularly threatening down Diomande’s left-hand side of the pitch.

Haaland had little to feed on but might have done better with a tame header that bounced into the hands of goalkeeper Yahia Fofana.

Then came a moment of genuine class as Nusa, fed by Odegaard, cut inside and bent the ball wonderfully into the top corner.

Odegaard put his hands on his head in disbelief at the strike by the 21-year-old, Diomande’s Leipzig team-mate.

Stale Solbakken’s Norway finished the first half on the hunt for a second and Haaland was denied by a last-gasp block by Ibrahim Sangare, who celebrated as if scoring a goal.

The Ivory Coast, into the knockout rounds for the first time, won their 10th corner to start the second half.

Nicolas Pepe was denied by the legs of Norway stopper Orjan Nyland as the Ivory Coast piled on the pressure.

Norway, runners-up to France in the group stage, were inches away from a second when Diallo blocked the ball on the goal line following a corner.

The Norway fans, sensing the next round was close, began their now-famous rowing in the stands.

Almost as soon as they stopped, Diallo danced into the box past two challenges for a spectacular leveller.

Then up popped Haaland to break Ivorian hearts, with goalkeeper Nyland pulling off a flying stop from Diallo’s well-struck free kick at the death to send Norway through.