Erling Haaland struck two late goals as Norway upended record five-times champions Brazil 2-1 in the World Cup last 16 on today in New Jersey to send the Scandinavian team into the quarter-finals for the first time.
Reuters reported that Neymar’s penalty deep into stoppage time was little consolation for Brazil, for whom Bruno Guimaraes missed an early penalty as they failed to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1990.
With their fans greatly outnumbered and in conditions that felt like a sauna, Norway tuned out the noise and Haaland used every bit of his 6-foot-5-inch frame to head in the opening goal after 79 minutes before blasting home a shot from distance.
“I said to the boys today that I don’t think it’s 50-50, but we have a fair chance if we play at our best and have match winners, and we had that,” Norway coach Stale Solbakken said, according to Reuters.
The Brazil players were left shattered by the loss.
“It’s inexplicable,” defender Marquinhos said. “We have to take responsibility for this so that future generations can build on it.”
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