Ivory Coast’s FIFA World Cup campaign came to a heartbreaking end on Tuesday after Erling Haaland struck a late winner to hand Norway a hard-fought 2-1 victory in their Round of 32 encounter.
The Elephants battled back bravely after falling behind but were undone just four minutes from time as Norway’s talisman ensured the Scandinavian side progressed to the last 16, where they will face Brazil.
Norway made the brighter start and were rewarded in the 39th minute when Antonio Nusa finished clinically after being picked out by captain Martin Ødegaard. The goal capped an impressive first-half display from the Norwegians, who dominated possession and looked dangerous whenever they attacked.
Nusa almost doubled Norway’s advantage in first-half stoppage time but Ivory Coast survived, trailing by a single goal at the interval despite struggling to create clear-cut chances.
The African side emerged with renewed purpose after the restart and gradually grew into the contest. Their persistence paid off in the 74th minute when substitute Nicolas Pépé provided an excellent assist for Amad Diallo, who calmly slotted home to restore parity and ignite hopes of a famous comeback.
With the match finely balanced, both teams searched for a decisive breakthrough. Ivory Coast appeared to have seized the momentum following their equaliser, but Norway’s quality in attack ultimately proved decisive.
In the 86th minute, Patrick Berg threaded a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Haaland, who made no mistake by firing beyond the goalkeeper to restore Norway’s lead. The prolific striker’s composed finish silenced the Ivorian supporters and ultimately settled a tense knockout contest.
Ivory Coast pushed desperately for another equaliser during the closing stages, but Norway defended resolutely to preserve their advantage and secure passage into the next round.
For the Elephants, the defeat marks a painful end to a campaign that promised much but ultimately fell short in the knockout stage. Despite their spirited second-half response and Diallo’s equaliser, they were unable to contain Norway’s attacking stars when it mattered most.
Norway, meanwhile, continue their impressive World Cup journey and will now prepare for a mouth-watering Round of 16 clash against five-time champions Brazil, buoyed by another decisive contribution from Haaland.
