Quite predictably, Erling Haaland was Norway’s hero as his late goal secured a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast to send the Scandinavians through to the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday, setting up a showdown with Brazil. The Manchester City striker had been peripheral for long stretches but popped up to bobble home the winner with just four minutes left on the clock in Dallas, after Manchester United’s Amad Diallo had hauled Les Elephants level.
The African nation generated the better openings in the first half, albeit none were clear-cut chances, but a moment of magic saw the Norwegians snatch the lead shortly before the break. Martin Odegaard found Antonio Nusa on the left of the box, and the wide man jinked inside and bent an unstoppable strike into the far side-netting.
That seemed to spark Norway into life as they immediately spurned two golden opportunities to double their advantage. Haaland’s weak close-range volley was well blocked, and from the resulting corner the Manchester City hitman couldn’t get on the end of Alexander Sorloth’s header, which bounced just wide.
Ivory Coast substitute Amad took centre stage in the second half, blocking a goal-bound shot on the line at one end before combining wonderfully with Nicolas Pepe at the other to equalise. The Man Utd winger darted into the box, skipped around a defender and fired home from close in.
But Norway – and Haaland – would not be denied, as they found a winner with four minutes left on the clock. Patrick Berg latched onto Oscar Bobb’s fine pass and squared to the striker, and the ball seemed to bounce off him and roll into the back of the net. Amad almost sent the game to extra time at the death, but his sublime free-kick in the sixth minute of added time was palmed away by Orjan Nyland.
GOAL rates Norway’s players from Dallas…
