Erling Haaland scored two late goals to lead Norway to a stunning 2-1 victory over five-time champions Brazil on Sunday, securing their first-ever place in the World Cup quarter-finals. The Manchester City striker, who had been quiet for much of the match, opened the scoring in the 79th minute with a powerful header and then sealed the win in the 90th minute with a precise finish.
Haaland’s brace brought his tournament tally to seven goals, tying him with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe as the top scorers of the competition. Meanwhile, Norway’s goalkeeper Orjan Nyland was instrumental in the win, making four crucial saves, including a remarkable stop on Bruno Guimaraes’ penalty in the first half, awarded after a VAR review.
Brazil dominated possession and created more chances throughout the match but failed to convert. Substitute Endrick missed a key opportunity shortly after entering the game, and Nyland also denied attempts from Rayan and Guimaraes as Norway endured intense pressure.
The breakthrough came when Andreas Schjelderup delivered a cross into the box, allowing Haaland to outjump Gabriel Magalhaes and head past Alisson. Eleven minutes later, Schjelderup assisted again by cutting the ball back for Haaland, who calmly controlled it before firing a low shot into the bottom corner, putting the result beyond doubt.
Veteran forward Neymar scored a late penalty deep into stoppage time, which he confirmed would be his final appearance for Brazil. However, it was too late to prevent Brazil’s earliest World Cup exit since 1990.
This victory maintained Norway’s perfect World Cup record against Brazil, having also defeated them 2-1 during the 1998 group stage. Haaland reflected on his performance, saying, “I normally get one or two chances, and when I do, I usually score. It’s about staying focused and taking the opportunities when they come.”
Norway’s coach Stale Solbakken expressed confidence in his team’s ability to compete against top-tier opponents. “I told the players that if we played at our best, we had every chance,” he said. “Reaching the quarter-finals wasn’t something I was thinking about before the tournament. First, we wanted to get out of the group, and then focus on the next match.”
Brazil’s coach Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged his team’s failure to capitalize on their chances. “Everyone is deeply disappointed,” he admitted. “We had a good tournament overall, and there were moments today when we deserved to win, but we couldn’t take our opportunities.”
Norway will face England in the quarter-finals on July 11, following the Three Lions’ 3-2 victory over Mexico later on Sunday.
