Manchester City striker Haaland netted a brace in Sunday’s FIFA World Cup Round Of 16 match and shuts the door on Brazil as Norway zoomed to the quarterfinals for the first time in the tournament.
Haaland’s super goals hit Brazil so hard the Jogobonito lords came to an agonising end of their World Cup this year, bowing to the Norwegians 1-2 after the encounter.
For a moment, they thought they had made the perfect start when Patrick Berg believed he had given Norway the lead, only for the move to be pulled back because Alexander Sørloth had strayed offside before squaring the final pass.
Brazil was lucky and handed a route into the contest when Matheus Cunha was brought down by Kristoffer Ajer in the box, with VAR reversing the referee’s original decision.
The resultant penalty kick was wasted when Bruno Guimarães stepped up, but after a stuttering run, drove his effort too close to Orjan Nyland, who read it right and pushed it away with his firm hands.
Much to the surprise of those inside the stadium, Norway enjoyed the healthier share of possession – close to 70 per cent in the opening quarter – as Brazil clearly missed the injured Lucas Paquetá’s ability to stitch the game together.
Haaland finally found a sight of goal in the 37th minute when Antonio Nusa whipped a ball in from the left, but the striker’s side-footed hook lacked both power and direction to trouble Alisson Becker.
Soon after, Vinícius Júnior pounced on a rare Norwegian lapse and fired in a snapshot from the left, but Nyland threw his frame across the angle like a nightclub doorman shutting out trouble.
There were three pockets of red around the right-end goal in an otherwise rolling wave of scarf-waving canary yellow, but the Norwegians, belting out ‘Viking Row’, were still loud enough to make themselves heard.
Much to the surprise of those inside the stadium, Norway enjoyed the healthier share of possession – close to 70 per cent in the opening quarter – as Brazil clearly missed the injured Lucas Paquetá’s ability to stitch the game together.
Haaland finally found a sight of goal in the 37th minute when Antonio Nusa whipped a ball in from the left, but the striker’s side-footed hook lacked both power and direction to trouble Alisson Becker. Soon after, Vinícius Júnior pounced on a rare Norwegian lapse and fired in a snapshot from the left, but Nyland threw his frame across the angle like a nightclub doorman shutting out trouble.
In the dying moments of the half, two Brazilian defenders lost a jostling match with Haaland, and the loose ball dropped invitingly for Martin Odegaard. His shot, however, was smothered by the onrushing Alisson.
Seconds later, at the other end, Gabriel Martinelli arrived a fraction late to a high cross, the ball skimming past him with the same cruel timing as a New York subway door sliding shut just as you reach the platform.
The breakthrough came for Norway in the 79th minute when Andreas Schjelderup bent in a cross from the left, and Haaland stole half a yard on Gabriel to head past Alisson for the opener.
It was a duel that the Manchester City striker had enjoyed earlier, scoring against the Arsenal defender in their last four Premier League meetings in England, and later finished up the day with a second to nail the coffin of the Brazilians.