In brief
- Erling Haaland scored a late winner to send Norway to the World Cup Round of 16.
- It was the first time that Norway had won a knockout game in World Cup history.
Erling Haaland scored a late winner as Norway set up a Round of 16 showdown with Brazil at the World Cup after taming the Côte d'Ivoire 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.
A match between two physical teams was tepid to begin with at the impressive air-conditioned home of the Dallas Cowboys.
Côte d'Ivoire had a sight of goal after 20 minutes, defender Ghislain Konan bursting into the Norway box from the left but finding the side netting.
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Côte d'Ivoire players and fans were irate just before the drinks break when the livewire Yan Diomandé was brought down on the break just inside his own half.
Referee Jesús Valenzuela surprisingly did not even book defender David Møller Wolfe.
The 19-year-old winger Diomandé, 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 Diomandé'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 Ødegaard, cut inside and bent the ball wonderfully into the top corner.
Ødegaard put his hands on his head in disbelief at the strike by the 21-year-old, Diomandé's Leipzig team-mate.
Ståle Solbakken's Norway finished the first half on the hunt for a second, and Haaland was denied by a last-gasp block by Ibrahim Sangaré, who celebrated as if scoring a goal.
Côte d'Ivoire, 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 Ørjan Nyland as Côte d'Ivoire 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.
Norway will now face five-time champions Brazil on Sunday in New Jersey with the quarter-finals at stake.
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