Erling Haaland struck four minutes from full-time to seal a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast, sending Norway into the FIFA World Cup last 16 for the first time with a showdown against Brazil awaiting.
Antonio Nusa had earlier given the Norwegians the lead with a superb curling effort before substitute Amad Diallo, introduced after starting on the bench, produced a brilliant solo equaliser to revive the Ivorians’ hopes.
However, Haaland extended his remarkable run to 13 consecutive competitive internationals with a goal, bundling home Patrick Berg’s cutback from close range to settle the contest. Ivory Coast paid the price for their cautious starting approach, despite Amad’s influential second-half display at both ends of the pitch, while Norway held their nerve to book a historic place in the knockout stage.
