He did it again!! Elring Haaland saved Norway as they overcame a resilient Ivory Coast 2-1 to march into the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals. In a tense round of 16 match that looked to be heading to extra time, Manchester City striker pounced inside the penalty area to scramble in a crucial winner that guaranteed a last-eight spot for the Scandinavians.
Norway were initially leading the game, only for Ivory Coast to pull the game back to 1-1 and make for a tense climax.
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As both teams hunted a match-winner, the opportunistic Haaland arrived perfectly in the box and smashed the ball into the net from close range. The Norwegian quest for a historic World Cup now lives on with this monumental victory and the impact of Haaland can no longer be ignored.
The attacker has been sensational throughout the tournament and has been key to Norway’s journey into the latter stages of the competition.
Norway will take on five-time World Cup winner Brazil on July 5 in New York for a place in the semi-finals in what promises to be the blockbuster tie of the tournament.
Ivory Coast’s World Cup has ended in a devastating late loss having put up an impressive performance against the Norwegians to reach the knock-out stages of the tournament.
With momentum surging and having caused a giant upset against the Ivorian side, Haaland and Norway can continue to chase an unlikely World Cup dream against the Samba Boys.
