Haaland pounces late on to ensure Norway and their Viking row live to fight another day 

After 86 minutes of wandering, Haaland yet again put his country on his shoulders.

Erling Haaland #9 of Norway. Pic: Alex Slitz/Getty Images

World Cup Last 32: Côte d’Ivoire 1 Norway 2 

Cowboy country…conquered. Erling Haaland had been left to roam the plains of suburban Dallas as an isolated, malnourished man alone.

After 86 minutes of wandering he was finally found and Haaland yet again put his country on his shoulders. Who needs horseback when you’ve Norseback? 

It was surely the least emphatic touch of his life, an almost mis-control of a winner deciding a gripping if not great Last 32 contest. 

His fifth of this World Cup sent the banks of Norwegian red wild, men with ‘Braut Haaland 9’ on their backs and Stetsons on their heads bouncing around this bowl.

After 10 more minutes when they could have finished it or let it slip, Norway saw it out for a Last 16 date with Brazil in New Jersey on Sunday. 

The huge left hand of Ørjan Nyland was what really sealed it, the goalkeeper denying Amad Diallo a second stunner with an injury-time free-kick.

Sprung from the bench in the second-half, the Manchester United winger had matched Antonio Nusa’s gorgeous opener to level with a magical mazy equaliser in the 74th minute. The breakthrough had been so long coming.

Within the first half hour, Ivorian attackers had gone hard to the byline and cut at least three wicked balls across the face of Norway’s goal. After eight minutes it was Torbjørn Heggem who skewed one clear. 

Twenty minutes later, as the hordes behind Nyland finished off their first Viking row of the match, Kristoffer Ajer got his rhythm all right when a wrong step would have been fatal. Nicolas Pépé’s lethal ball looped up and over the bar. Another Elephants chance left unfinished.

The resultant corner didn’t amount to enough, a whopping 14 of them coming and going for Côte d’Ivoire, whose first 45 minutes in the knockout stages of a World Cup after 20 years of trying served up a timeless lesson. Chances such as these have to be taken and Ange-Yoan Bonny, their only central striker, didn’t look like taking any.

Nusa’s wasn’t even a chance. His moment of wonder six minutes before the break was conjured out of so little. Fed a nice ball by Martin Odegaard, he controlled and pushed it out in front in the same move. 

The next move — a little hip shimmy and toe tap — cut Pepe adrift and gave Nusa enough room to score the tournament’s most aesthetically appealing goal to date. We’ve lamented the positioning of US press boxes — at the corner flag. This time it was a perfect vantage point.

The half-time scoreline was rough on Côte d’Ivoire. Pepe and Yan Diomande had been lively, Franck Kessié and Ibrahim Sangaré rock solid behind. It could have been a 2-0 deficit had Sangaré not blocked Haaland two minutes after the opener.

Haaland would wait and wait. Then it would be all worth it. Substitute Oscar Bobb slipped in Patrick Berg and his pullback found Haaland all alone. He kissed it in. Ståle Solbakken’s gamble of resting all his starters against France had paid off. 

Another celebratory Viking row raised the roof. Brazil next. Carlo Ancelotti will know Norway are no cowboys.

Côte d’Ivoire: Yahia Fofana, Doue, Kossounou, Agbadou, Konan, Sangare, Pepe, Kessie, Oulai, Y Diomande, Bonny.


Subs: Wahi for Bonny (60), Diallo for Oulai (60), Diakite for Pepe (87), Guessand for Diomande (90), Toure for (90).

Goals: Diallo (74).

Norway: Nyland, Holgren, Ajer, Heggem, Wolfe, Odegaard, Berge, Berg, Sorloth, Haaland, Nusa.


Subs: Bobb for Sorloth (71), Schjelderup for Nusa (71), Aursnes for Holgren (83).

Goals: Nusa (39), Haaland (86).

Ref: Jesus Valenzuela (VEN).

Att: 69,665.