Norway Stuns Brazil 2-1 to Reach World Cup QFs

NEW YORK, July 6 — Erling Haaland scored twice on Sunday as Norway stunned Brazil 2-1 in a dramatic FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match at the New York/New Jersey Stadium, eliminating the five-time champions and securing a historic debut in the tournament’s quarterfinals.

According to a report by Anadolu Ajansi, the high-stakes encounter saw all three goals scored within the final 25 minutes of play. Haaland broke the deadlock in the 79th minute after being found on the edge of the penalty area by Andreas Schjelderup. The forward took a sharp touch before driving a low header past Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

The striker doubled Norway’s advantage in the 90th minute with another low strike from outside the area, driving the ball into the bottom corner to claim his seventh goal of the tournament. The definitive strike moved Haaland level with Argentina’s Lionel Messi and France’s Kylian Mbappe at the top of the 2026 World Cup scoring chart.

Brazil managed to pull a goal back deep into injury time when Neymar successfully converted a penalty in the 10th minute of stoppage time, but the late effort was not enough to prevent elimination. The South American giants had previously missed a crucial opportunity in the first half when Bruno Guimaraes’ penalty kick was saved by Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland.

This year’s World Cup is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, marking the first edition in history to feature an expanded 48-team format. The international tournament is scheduled to conclude on July 19, with Argentina participating as the defending champions.

-NMT