Haaland Fires 2 Goals as Norway Stuns Brazil 2-1 for First World Cup Quarterfinal

Q: Will Norway repeat its famous 1998 upset, or can Brazil's star-studded squad finally end its 24-year World Cup curse?

Norway has repeated the upset. The Scandinavians beat Brazil in the Round of 16, extending Brazil’s 24-year wait for a sixth World Cup title and reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in their history. The decisive factors were clear. Ørjan Nyland’s penalty save from Bruno Guimarães denied Brazil an early breakthrough, and Erling Haaland again proved the difference. He opened the scoring with a header and later added a long-range second goal, underlining why he has been Norway’s defining player this tournament. His finishing and Norway’s discipline turned a dangerous underdog into a genuine knockout force. For Brazil, the defeat is another painful chapter in a long World Cup drought that dates back to 2002. Carlo Ancelotti’s side had arrived with major attacking talent, including Vinícius Júnior, Neymar, Martinelli and Casemiro, and had already shown resilience by coming from behind to beat Japan. But against Norway they were punished for missed chances and could not overcome Nyland’s goalkeeping or Haaland’s efficiency. The result also deepens a striking historical trend. Brazil still has not beaten Norway in senior men’s international football, with Norway now holding three wins and two draws from five meetings, including the famous 1998 World Cup upset. So the answer is settled on the pitch: Norway delivered the repeat shock, while Brazil’s star-studded squad fell short again.

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jul 6

Two late Haaland goals in the 79th and 90th minutes sent Norway past Brazil 2-1 at MetLife Stadium and into the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time.
Andreas Schjelderup set up both strikes, first for a header and then for a low left-footed finish, as Norway's plan to control possession and feed Haaland finally broke Brazil.
Neymar converted a stoppage-time penalty only for consolation, while Haaland's brace lifted him to 7 tournament goals, level with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé in the Golden Boot race.
The win extended Haaland's clutch run after his late winner against Ivory Coast and another brace versus Senegal, reinforcing Norway's deepest World Cup surge and eliminating Brazil.