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Haaland Double Sinks Brazil as Norway Reach Quarter-Finals

July 6, 2026 By BeatzHive Editorial 2 min read

Haaland Scores Twice as Norway Beat Brazil 2-1 to Reach First World Cup Quarter-Final

Erling Haaland struck a late second-half double at MetLife Stadium to fire Norway past five-time champions Brazil and into a World Cup quarter-final for the first time in the nation’s history. The 2-1 victory, according to reports, also lifted the Manchester City forward to seven tournament goals, level with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in the Golden Boot standings.

Two Late Haaland Goals Stun Brazil

Norway reportedly controlled possession in a tight opening half, dictating the pace while Brazil laboured to settle. The South Americans’ clearest opportunity came from the penalty spot after a VAR check judged Patrick Berg to have handled inside the box, but goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland guessed correctly, diving right to keep out Bruno Guimarães’ effort.

Brazil grew into the contest after the break, with Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo testing the Norwegian back line, yet the breakthrough went the other way. In the 79th minute, Andreas Schjelderup delivered a cross from the left and Haaland outjumped Gabriel Magalhães to head beyond Alisson into the far corner. As Brazil chased an equaliser, gaps opened, and in the 90th minute Haaland collected the ball outside the area, took a touch and drove a fierce finish across the goalkeeper for 2-0 — his 62nd goal in 55 international appearances.

Neymar, introduced from the bench, converted a 96th-minute penalty after a foul on Casemiro, but it proved only a consolation. The result marks Brazil’s earliest World Cup exit since 1990, while Norway advance to meet the winner of England against Mexico.

Norway Celebrates Landmark World Cup Quarterfinal

Haaland has long been regarded as one of the deadliest strikers in the modern game, and performances like this on football’s biggest stage tend to define legacies. His scoring race with established superstars Messi and Mbappe now becomes one of the tournament’s central storylines, with every remaining match capable of tilting the Golden Boot battle.

For Brazil, an early elimination invariably triggers intense scrutiny back home, where anything short of deep tournament runs is treated as failure. For Norway, a first-ever quarter-final represents a landmark moment that could inspire a new generation of players and supporters.

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