Arlington, July 1: Star striker Erling Haaland expressed immense joy after leading Norway to its first-ever knockout victory in FIFA World Cup history. He stated that qualifying for the World Cup after 28 years and advancing beyond the group stage makes every future success feel like a “bonus” for the team.
Haaland continued his scoring streak in the World Cup, netting a decisive goal in the final moments of the match, securing a 2-1 victory over Côte d’Ivoire. This win marks Norway’s first appearance in the Round of 16 since 1998.
“This is history, and the feeling is incredible,” Haaland remarked. “We qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, progressed past the group stage, and now we face Brazil in the next round in New York. It’s fantastic. Every achievement from here on out is a bonus for us. We can play without pressure and enjoy this moment, as we may never feel this way again.”
Throughout the match, Côte d’Ivoire’s players managed to contain Haaland for the most part. However, the challenge posed by Côte d’Ivoire, who equalized with a stunning goal from Amad Diallo in the second half, was ultimately quelled by Haaland’s decisive strike. With this victory, Ståle Solbakken’s team has secured a spot in the Round of 16 against Brazil on July 6 in New York/New Jersey.
Norway’s head coach, Ståle Solbakken, credited the team’s ability to maintain strength until the end as the key to their victory.
“I think it was a very even match. Both teams played well, and it could have gone either way. But today, we showed great play at the end and managed to secure the win after coming back from a 1-1 tie. They had a good free-kick at the end and had a few chances to score,” he explained.
He added, “Overall, I believe we were slightly better, but Côte d’Ivoire deserves praise for their excellent performance. This is Norway’s first win in the knockout stage of the World Cup, and we should fully enjoy this achievement. Now, we will take a little rest and prepare for the match against Brazil.”
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