Haaland Strikes Again As Norway Knock Out Ivory Coast To Reach World Cup Last 16
2 min read
By Sedara Philip
Erling Haaland once again proved why he is one of world football’s deadliest finishers, scoring a late winner to inspire Norway to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast and secure a place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Manchester City forward, who played the entire match at AT&T Stadium on Tuesday, netted his fifth goal of the tournament in the closing stages to break Ivorian hearts and send the Scandinavian side into the next round.
Ivory Coast made the brighter start and nearly found an early breakthrough when Nicolas Pépé carved out space inside the penalty area, only to see his effort brilliantly blocked by a resilient Norwegian defence.
Norway gradually settled into the contest and took the lead six minutes before half-time through Antonio Nusa. The winger produced a moment of brilliance, gliding past defenders before unleashing a stunning strike from the edge of the box that flew into the top-right corner, leaving goalkeeper Yahia Fofana with no chance.
The Norwegians almost doubled their advantage moments later when Haaland reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the area, but a goal-line clearance denied the prolific striker.
Ivory Coast emerged after the break with renewed determination, creating a series of dangerous opportunities in search of an equaliser. Pépé forced a smart save from goalkeeper Orjan Nyland after pouncing on a rebound, while Emmanuel Agbadou narrowly missed the target with a powerful header.
Their persistence finally paid off in the 74th minute when Amad Diallo produced an outstanding solo run before calmly finishing inside the box to level the score at 1-1 and set up a tense finale.
As extra time loomed, Haaland stepped up once again.
In the 86th minute, the Norwegian captain timed his run perfectly to meet a well-weighted pass inside the penalty area before coolly slotting the ball beyond Fofana to restore Norway’s lead and seal qualification.
The decisive strike took Haaland’s tally to five goals at the tournament and ensured Norway held on for a memorable victory.
Norway will now face Brazil in a blockbuster Round of 16 clash on Sunday, July 5, with Haaland carrying red-hot form into one of the tournament’s most eagerly anticipated encounters.
Sedara Philip is a Sports writer, an administrator,Journalist,and editor
