Norway Edge Ivory Coast 2-1 to Reach World Round of 16
Norway ended Ivory Coast’s World Cup run with a 2-1 victory in the Round of 32 yesterday, booking a Round 16 place in dramatic fashion. The result sent the Scandinavians into the last eight for the first time in 88 years and sparked a thunderous Viking Row celebration led by captain Martin Ødegaard at full time.
The breakthrough came in the 39th minute through Antonio Nusa. With the game locked at 0-0, the winger cut inside from the left and unleashed a thunderous curling strike into the top corner. Martin Ødegaard provided the assist to put Norway ahead against Côte d’Ivoire. The Elephants responded in the second half when Amad Diallo made history, scoring Ivory Coast’s first-ever FIFA World Cup knockout goal in the 74th minute from a Nicolas Pépé assist.
But Norway had the final word deep into stoppage time. With four minutes added on, Erling Haaland tapped home to reclaim the lead and seal a 2-1 win. The goal was Haaland’s fifth of the tournament, meaning he has now scored in every single game at his debut World Cup — two against Iraq, two against Senegal, and one against Ivory Coast. He sits one behind Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race with Messi on six and Haaland on five.
Haaland’s numbers are already entering record territory ,the first Norwegian in 72 years to score in each of his first three World Cup matches. His strike also broke Norway’s all-time record for most goals at a single World Cup, surpassing the five set in 1998. The tally took him to 60 international goals in just 53 caps, making him the fastest to that mark since Gerd Müller, who reached 60 in 48 caps back in 1973.
After the final whistle, Ødegaard rallied the entire Norway squad and the roaring supporters into the legendary Viking Row, capping an epic night that will live long in Norwegian football history.