ARLINGTON, United States, June 30, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - 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.

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 after an hour 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.

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

the Dallas Cowboys.

Ivory Coast had a sight of goal after 20 minutes, defender Ghislain Konan bursting into the Norway

box from the left but finding the side netting.

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 captain Martin 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.