Erling Haaland breaks Ivory Coast hearts as Man Utd star's brilliance not enough
Erling Haaland delivered the decisive blow as Norway progressed to the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast in Dallas, breaking the hearts of a determined African team despite their valiant efforts.
The match proved to be a closely contested affair that swung in Norway's favour through the brilliance of their star striker. Antonio Nusa gave Norway an early advantage, scoring his ninth international goal six minutes before half-time when Martin Odegaard found him inside the box. Nusa cut inside and curled a brilliant effort into the top corner to establish Norwegian control.
However, Manchester United's Amad Diallo proved a game-changer from the bench, producing what was described as a moment of magic to level the contest and set up a tense final passage of play. Despite Amad's stunning equaliser, it was Haaland who had the final say. In the 86th minute, the Norwegian striker bundled in the winner after being played through by Patrick Berg, securing Norway's passage to their first knockout stage since 1998.
Haaland's decisive contribution marked his 13th straight competitive international goal and took his remarkable tally to 60 goals in just 53 appearances for his country. Speaking after the match, the Manchester City forward acknowledged the challenge ahead. "We're going to the round of 16, there will be excellent teams. It won't be easy, we have to be realistic. I don't know if we'll make it," Haaland said, before offering a blunt assessment of their next opponent: "Very slim," when asked about Norway's chances of eliminating Brazil.
Norway's captain Martin Odegaard struck a more optimistic tone, urging his teammates to embrace their underdog status. "In football anything is possible. We want to keep dreaming, keep enjoying ourselves," Odegaard told reporters. Norway now face Brazil at the New York New Jersey Stadium, having demonstrated they are far more than a one-man team in their victory over Ivory Coast.