World Cup: Haaland bags brace to knock out five-time winners Brazil

Haaland, who won Player of the Match, bagged his brace on 79 and 90 minutes before Neymar got a consolation from the spot in stoppage time. It also moved the talismanic 25-year-old level with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe on seven goals in the race for the Golden Boot. Norway now progress to the quarter-finals where they will face England, featuring fellow Blues Elliot Anderson, Marc Guéhi, Nico O’Reilly and James Trafford. Bodø/Glimt midfielder Patrick Berg’s fourth-minute goal for Norway was disallowed for offside early on before Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes missed a penalty later in the first half in front of 80,663 at New Jersey Stadium in New York as the five-time winners from 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002 looked to make it through. But it was Stale Solbakken’s side who took control after the break and it was that man Haaland who made the telling contributions. The hitman stole ahead of Arsenal centre-back Gabriel to meet a cross from Andreas Schjelderup and put his side ahead deep into the second period. He then essentially sealed progress with a brilliant low strike from outside the box as the clock ticked down to full-time. Brazil were handed a second penalty in the dying embers which Neymar despatched for Carlo Ancelotti’s team. But Haaland was celebrating on full-time as he now gets set for the last eight tie against the Three Lions on Saturday 11 July at Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens. Haaland has now scored seven goals in four World Cup matches – as well as 62 times in 54 matches for his country. He has also scored in each of his last 14 competitive encounters for Norway, hitting the net 27 times in that period. Remarkably, prior to this tournament, Norway had never won a World Cup knockout game and this is their first appearance at the World Cup since 1998 so to beat perennial winners, Brazil, is quite the coup. City Magazine: World Cup special available now! Featuring Rayan Cherki, Erling Haaland, Omar Marmoush and a greatest ever World Cup Manchester Best XI - get reading now!