Norway beat Brazil 2-1. Few of the last five first-time quarter-finalists went on.
Erling Haaland scored twice as Norway beat Brazil 2-1 at MetLife Stadium. Norway are in a World Cup quarter-final for the first time in their history.
What happened
Haaland scored in the 11th and 90th minutes as Norway beat Brazil 2-1 in the last 16, reaching a first World Cup quarter-final in the nation’s history.
Erling Haaland headed Norway in front in the 11th minute from Andreas Schjelderup’s cross, then scored again in the 90th to put the last-16 game beyond Brazil at MetLife Stadium. Neymar, who came on in the 67th minute, scored a penalty in stoppage time, but it came too late. Norway, at their first World Cup since 1998, are in the quarter-finals for the first time.
The defeat is Brazil’s sixth World Cup exit in a row against a European team. It also ends a campaign built around Carlo Ancelotti’s task of winning a first title in 24 years. Goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland stood out behind a disciplined Norwegian defence that held off long spells of pressure. Neymar said afterwards that his international career is over.
Norway now face England in Miami on . The two teams came through the same qualifying group. In 1998 Norway also beat Brazil 2-1, in a group game in Marseille. Haaland’s two goals took him to seven, level with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé at the top of the tournament’s scoring charts.
Sources: Al Jazeera, ESPN (2), Sky Sports
The Pattern
Norway are the sixth country this century to reach their first World Cup quarter-final. We looked at whether the five before them won that game and reached the semi-finals. Four went out in the quarter-final, and only Morocco, in 2022, went further.
Show the other 3 cases
The Read
History is against Norway. Four of the last five first-time quarter-finalists went out at that stage, and three of them lost on penalties or to a golden goal, the old rule where the first goal in extra time ended the game. That is how the round tends to end for a team playing it for the first time. England have the deeper squad, a settled team under Thomas Tuchel, and a knockout win at the Azteca that suggests they can handle pressure.
Norway’s case is strong for a first-timer. They have just beaten Brazil, and Haaland is level with Messi and Mbappé on seven goals, while England’s defence is missing the suspended Jarell Quansah. Morocco in 2022 showed that a first-timer can go further with strong defending and a player who wins games. Norway have both, and 38 per cent for Norway is a serious view.
Disclaimer
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