Haaland late – Erling Haaland scored in the 80th minute and again before regulation ended as Norway stunned Brazil 2-1 to reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time. Ørjan Nyland’s saves, including a stop from Bruno Guimarães’ penalty, kept the upset alive, and And
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The match had gone strangely quiet around Erling Haaland for long stretches on Sunday, with limited touches and a sense that Brazil were getting the better of the early wrestling. Then the stadium changed its rhythm in the 80th minute.
Haaland met a ball with the right side of his head and scored the go-ahead goal. He didn’t stop there. Before regulation time was over. he added another strike. turning a tight contest into a statement as Norway beat Brazil 2-1 to reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in the country’s men’s history.
Andreas Schjelderup’s role in the turnaround was immediate. He entered at halftime, and the later decisive moment began with a perfect setup for Haaland. Schjelderup followed through in celebration too. jumping on Haaland’s back as the six-foot-five striker capped a massive night with his sixth World Cup goal. He then scored again after assisting on Haaland’s seventh. matching the tournament’s scoring totals alongside Lionel Messi of Argentina and Kylian Mbappé of France for the most goals in the competition.
Haaland’s numbers have kept building into an almost unreal run. He extended his streak of scoring to 14 consecutive competitive matches internationally, with 27 goals in that span. In that same stretch, he has now reached 62 goals in 54 games with Norway.
At the other end, Ørjan Nyland made sure the margin stayed within reach. Early on, Norway’s goalkeeper dived to his left to deny Bruno Guimarães’ penalty kick in the 14th minute. Late in the match. when Norway was hanging onto a one-goal lead. Nyland again tipped a shot away with his left hand. refusing to let Brazil steal the game back before the final whistle.
The only goal Nyland allowed came from Neymar on a penalty kick in stoppage time. It changed the final score, but not the result Norway wanted.
Nyland was 35 and his status as the oldest player on the team made his impact feel even more weighty. His saves became part of a victory that ranks among the most significant in Norway’s history. at least on the men’s side. Norway’s women’s team won the World Cup in 1995. but the men have qualified only four times and not since 1998. They had never gone beyond the round of 16.
Brazil, meanwhile, walked off without reaching the quarterfinals after a tournament that never matched its billing. The five-time World Cup champions had their quarterfinal appearance streak end at eight, losing before that stage for the first time since 1990.
For Brazil, Sunday carried the sting of patterns. It was their seventh consecutive World Cup loss to European opponents, dating back to their 2002 final win against Germany. And despite the stage being set for a deep run, the tournament’s expectations kept colliding with missed opportunities.
A major talking point was the penalty decision. Guimarães became the first Brazil player not to score on a World Cup penalty kick since Zico in 1986. and the choice of him over star Vinícius Júnior brought immediate second-guessing. The debate about whether the responsibility should have been placed differently didn’t wait for the postgame press conference.
There were other moments that never found the back of the net either. Casemiro missed Neymar on a crossing attempt that could have been the tying goal. And while Lucas Paquetá’s absence with injury didn’t help. Gabriel Martinelli still showed speed at times after being selected by coach Carlo Ancelotti for the starting lineup.
Norway’s path into the win came through changes that felt designed for a different kind of game. Defender Julian Ryerson returned from an injury that had sidelined him for the past two games. and coach Ståle Solbakken’s halftime adjustment brought Schjelderup into the match. The result wasn’t just a win—it was a clear shift in how Norway could hurt teams like Brazil.
When the final whistle landed, Norway’s evolution since 1998 was easy to feel in the stands. Yellow-clad Seleção fans outnumbered those in Norway red. and many Norway supporters did the now-famous Viking Row in the stadium. Brazil’s fans even cheered it before kickoff, a detail that made the reversal after the match land harder. Brazil supporters were stunned silent when they returned after the game.
The sellout crowd of 80. 663 included global celebrities drawn to the moment. among them rapper Jay-Z. comedian Chris Rock. actor Woody Harrelson. actress Sofía Vergara. and basketball player Jalen Brunson of the NBA-champion New York Knicks. Brunson drew a healthy roar when he appeared on video screens.
Norway’s quarterfinal opponent will be decided next, with Norway set to face the winner of the Mexico-England round-of-16 game on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Norway Brazil World Cup quarterfinals Erling Haaland Ørjan Nyland Andreas Schjelderup Neymar penalty Bruno Guimarães Mexico England