A largely silent Erling Haaland was Norway’s hero once more with the goal that put his country into the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1998, sending Cote d’Ivoire home.
With his fifth goal of this FIFA World Cup 2026 and 60th for Norway overall, Haaland ended the resistance of a Côte d’Ivoire side who had fought back into the game with Amad Diallo’s second-half equaliser, ensuring it is Stale Solbakken’s side who advance to a meeting with Brazil in New York/New Jersey on July 5.
It was Emerse Fae’s Côte d’Ivoire, playing their first World Cup knockout match, who carried the greater early threat in this tightly contested Round of 32 tie.
Their menace from the flanks had been a feature of their group games and after left-back Ghislain Konan had shot into the side netting, their two wingers combined for the best opening of the first half-hour.
Yan Diomande delivered a precise cross to the far post to Nicolas Pepe but from close range, he cushioned his volley back into the six-yard box – rather than goalwards – and Kristoffer Ajer cleared.
Instead, it was Norway left winger Antonio Nusa who provided the breakthrough. Collecting on the left side of the penalty area, he moved the ball onto his right foot, stealing a yard from Pepe, and then bending a brilliant shot into the far corner for his first goal at these finals.
