Erling Haaland showed his world-class credentials on football’s biggest stage, scoring twice in the second half to lead Norway into the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history with a 2-1 win over five-time World Cup champions Brazil on Monday.Despite being tight-knit and underserved for much of the afternoon, the tall forward made an impact when it mattered most. A breakthrough was made in the 80th minute when half-time substitute Andreas Kjedrup crossed in and Haaland scored with a header.The two combined again in the final minutes of regular time, with Schjeldrup setting up Haaland for his second goal of the night. The goal took his tally in the tournament to seven, tying him with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, and extended his incredible international scoring streak to 14 consecutive official matches.While Haaland grabs the headlines, veteran goalkeeper Ojan Nyland is Norway’s unsung hero. The 35-year-old set the tone in the 14th minute by diving low to the left to save Bruno Guimaraes’ penalty. Later in the game, with Norway leading by one goal, Nylander made a wonderful one-handed save to block the shot of rising star Endrick. The only blemish on his fine display was Neymar’s consolation penalty in stoppage time, but it proved to be too little, too late for the Selecao.Brazil’s elimination marks a huge achievement for a team that had the expectation of winning or losing. The global powerhouse’s record of eight consecutive quarter-final appearances was broken as they were eliminated at the quarter-final stage for the first time since 1990. Furthermore, the defeat extended Brazil’s woeful experience against European opponents at the World Cup, marking their seventh consecutive knockout defeat to a European side since the 2002 final.Solbakken’s tactical masterclass paid off as Norway showcased their progress on the global stage. They now travel to Miami Gardens, Florida to face the winner of the last 16 match between England and Mexico.
