The number of teams remaining in the FIFA World Cup is dwindling, and one of them is Norway. In a game most forecast would be tight, the Lions edged past Côte d’Ivoire 2-1 in Texas. The first 39 minutes lacked much action, that is, until Antonio Nusa broke the deadlock on the cusp of halftime, curling home an absolute stunner.
However, Ivory Coast hit back with a quarter of an hour to go, seemingly forcing extra time at AT&T Stadium. Just as everyone was preparing for an extra 30 minutes, after a lovely team move, Patrick Berg’s ball across was poked over the line by, who else, Erling Braut Haaland to snatch victory four minutes from the end. Haaland has become the first man since Sándor Kocsis of Hungary in 1954 to score in each of his first three World Cup appearances.
This may be Norway’s first major tournament for 26 years, but Ståle Solbakken’s side are a serious force to reckoned with, so how far will they go this summer?
Who does Norway play next at the World Cup?
Next up for the Nordic nation on Sunday, they will be in New Jersey for a glamour tie against Brazil. The Seleção fought back from behind to beat Japan on Monday, with Gabriel Martinelli the last-gasp hero, scoring the latest World Cup knockout stage winner in the competition’s 96-year history. Both teams find themselves on the more open side of the draw, so whoever does prevail at MetLife on Sunday will fancy their chances of getting even further thereafter.
Norway’s potential World Cup knockout stage schedule
- Round of 16: Brazil, Sunday July 5, 4 p.m. ET in New Jersey
- Quarterfinal: England, Mexico, Ecuador or DR Congo, Saturday, July 11, 5 p.m. ET in Miami
- Semifinal: Argentina, Colombia, Switzerland, Egypt, Australia, Algeria, Ghana or Cape Verde, Wednesday, July 15, 3 p.m. ET in Atlanta
- Final: Spain, France, Portugal, Morocco, USA, Senegal, Belgium, Sweden, Canada, Croatia, Sweden, Austria, Bosnia or Paraguay, Sunday, July 19, 3 p.m. ET in New Jersey
Whoever wins this Brazil vs. Norway tie will, more than likely, face England in Miami in the quarter-finals on July 11. After that, it’s forecast to be Argentina in the semi-finals in Atlanta, neither of which would be easy of course, but Norway will believe they can beat anyone, starting with Brazil.
Why Norway might be Brazil’s nightmare opponents
On paper, most might assume that Brazil is a heavy favorite to beat Norway in East Rutherford at the weekend. The Seleção are a record five-time world champion, proudly the only nation to feature at all 23 World Cups. Now led by Carlo Ancelotti, a five-time Champions League-winning coach, the South American juggernauts continue to terrify every opponent they’ve come up against, having done so for nigh on a century, well, perhaps with the exception of Norway.
In their illustrious history, Brazil have faced 88 different national teams. They have beaten 87 of them, with Norway the sole exception, failing in four attempts to defeat the Lions.
Norway vs. Brazil head-to-head previous meetings
- July 1988. (Friendly, Oslo) Norway 1-1 Brazil
- May 1997 (Friendly, Oslo) Norway 4-2 Brazil
- June 1998 (World Cup Group Stage): Brazil 1-2 Norway
- August 2006 (Friendly, Oslo): Norway 1-1 Brazil
Three of their previous encounters have come in friendlies in Oslo, producing a pair of 1-1 draws as well as a 4-2 Norwegian victory. They did, though, clash in the World Cup group stages the last time Norway qualified in ’98. Brazil were defending champions and would go on to reach that summer’s final too, but were beaten 2-1 by the Lions at Stade Vélodrome, thanks to Kjetil Rekdal’s late penalty.
So, could they do it again? Well, Brazil will be without both Raphinha and now Lucas Paquetá due to injury and have looked suspect defensively all summer, with Japan able to run through the middle of their team to score on Monday. Well, if any one man on the planet is capable of exploiting a team’s defensive vulnerabilities, it is surely Haaland, so could an upset be on the cards?
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