In what will be remembered as one of the most stunning upsets in World Cup history, Norway knocked out heavyweights Brazil with a thrilling 2-1 victory in the round of 16 at the MetLife Stadium in New York. Driven by a sensational second-half brace from their star striker Erling Haaland and heroic saves by goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland, the "Vikings" proved once again to be the ultimate kryptonite for the Seleção, maintaining their historic unbeaten record against the South American giants.
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Subscribe Sekarang →The high-stakes encounter began with relentless intensity from both sides, as Norway saw an early goal from Patrick Berg chalked off for an Alexander Sørloth offside. Brazil had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the first half when Matheus Cunha was fouled by Kristoffer Ajer in the box. However, Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimarães saw his penalty brilliantly saved by Nyland, keeping the score level at 0-0 heading into the break.
According to editorial match monitoring, Norway's tactical adjustments in the second half paid dividends when substitute Andreas Schjelderup provided a precise cross for Haaland, who broke the deadlock with a commanding header past Alisson Becker. The Manchester City forward struck again shortly after, clinical in his execution, firing a low driving shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area to double Norway's advantage.
Desperate to salvage their World Cup campaign, Brazil brought on Neymar from the bench, who injected instant urgency into the squad. The legendary number 10 managed to pull one back for the five-time champions late in stoppage time, calmly converting a penalty after Leo Østigård was judged to have handled the ball. Despite a frantic final few minutes of added time, the Norwegian defense stood firm to secure a historic passage to the quarter-finals.
Based on post-match statistics, Norway will now eagerly await the winner of the highly anticipated round of 16 clash between Mexico and England. For Carlo Ancelotti's disappointed Brazil squad, the defeat marks a premature end to their 2026 campaign, while Ståle Solbakken's resilient side celebrates their deepest World Cup run since 1998.