Erling Haaland scores twice to beat Brazil, send Norway into World Cup quarterfinals for 1st time
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Norway's Erling Haaland reacts after scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup round of 16 football match between Brazil and Norway in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
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Norway's Erling Haaland (9) celebrates with Andreas Schjelderup (21) after scoring their second goal during the World Cup round of 16 football match between Brazil and Norway in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Erling Haaland headed in the go-ahead goal in the 80th minute and scored again before the end of regulation time, carrying Norway into the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time with a 2-1 victory over Brazil on Sunday that showcased the towering striker on football’s biggest stage.
After being a nonfactor for much of the afternoon and having limited touches, Haaland turned it on when it mattered most, getting the right side of his head on the ball after a perfect setup by Andreas Schjelderup, who entered at halftime. Schjelderup jumped on Haaland’s back to celebrate the 6-foot-5 striker scoring his sixth goal at the World Cup and did so again after assisting on his seventh, tying Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé of France for the most in the tournament.
Haaland extended his streak of scoring to 14 consecutive competitive matches internationally.
He has 27 in that stretch and 62 in 54 with Norway.
At the other end, goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland was stellar. He made a crucial stop early, diving to his left to deny Bruno Guimarães’ penalty kick in the 14th minute, then got his left hand on a shot by Endrick late when Norway was hanging on to a one-goal lead.
The only goal Nyland allowed was to Neymar on a penalty kick late in stoppage time, which changed just the final score.
Nyland, who at 35 is his team’s oldest player, was a huge factor in a historic victory that ranks among the most significant in the country’s history — at least on the men’s side. Norway’s women’s team won the World Cup in 1995, but the men have only qualified four times and not since 1998.
They had not gone further than the round of 16.
Norway next faces the winner of the Mexico-England round-of-16 game on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida.
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