World Cup 2026: Erling Haaland shines and Norway surprises Brazil

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — On a hot and humid afternoon, Norway achieved a surprising 2-1 victory over Brazil, advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup, marked by the great performance of Erling Haaland, who scored both goals in the match. At the start of the game, Norway dominated possession in the first 10 minutes, but failed to create effective chances. The Brazilian team almost opened the scoring first, when Matheus Cunha was fouled in the box in the 12th minute, resulting in a penalty after a VAR review. However, Norwegian goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland saved Bruno Guimarães' shot, and the score remained 0-0. Vinicius Jr. had a good opportunity in the 41st minute, when he recovered the ball in the Norwegian area, but saw his shot saved by Nyland. Despite Norway having more than 65% of possession in the first half, Brazil had the most dangerous chances, with an expected goal of 1.06 against just 0.35 for the Norwegians.  The second half started with a new chance for Brazil. Vinicius Jr. made a beautiful pass to young Endrick, who had just entered the game, but his finish was poorly calibrated and went over the baseline. The Norwegian response came in the 79th minute, when Haaland, in a moment of pure skill, scored with a header, putting Norway 1-0 ahead. Brazil, despite pressing and creating more opportunities, failed to score. Haaland shone again and, a few minutes later, increased Norway's lead with a beautiful shot from outside the box, making it 2-0. Neymar still managed to score by taking a penalty in the last seconds, but the goal was not enough to prevent the elimination of Brazil, who ended up defeated 2-1. With this victory, Norway qualifies for the quarterfinals and will face the winner of the game between Mexico and England, scheduled for next Saturday, July 11th, at 5pm (Miami time). Norway's victory represents a historic milestone for the country, which for the first time advances so far in a World Cup, while Brazil suffers yet another disappointment in its search for a sixth title. --- ## Related Articles 1. [Vinícius Júnior congratulates Erling Haaland on Norway's qualification](https://quinasgoal.com/noticias/vinicius-junior-felicita-erling-haaland-pela-qualificacao-da-noruega-para-os-qua) 2. [Mondial 2026 : un record historique — Haaland, Mbappé et Messi à sept](https://onzeactu.com/fr/news/mondial-2026-un-record-historique-haaland-mbappe-et-messi-a-sept-buts)

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