Antonio Nusa hits wondergoal as Norway edge Côte I’voire to reach last 16
Antonio Nusa's stunning curler and Erling Haaland's late winner helped Norway edge Côte d'Ivoire 2-1 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 32, setting up a meeting with Brazil in the last 16.
Côte I’voire 1-2 Norway
Goals: 0-1 Nusa 39' (assist: Ødegaard), 1-1 Diallo 74' (assist: Pépé), 1-2 Haaland 86' (assist: Berg)
Norway and Côte d'Ivoire met for the very first time in international football in this FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 32 tie at Dallas Stadium. Both sides had navigated their respective groups with two wins apiece, with Norway — boasting Haaland, who arrived in Texas with four goals to his name — making ten changes from their rotated side that lost 4-1 to France.
For Côte d'Ivoire, it was a historic occasion: the Elephants were appearing in the knockout rounds of a World Cup for the very first time. The match also featured a fascinating subplot, with RB Leipzig teammates Yan Diomande and Nusa lining up on opposite sides. Dormtund's Julian Ryerson of Norway missed out through injury.
Côte d'Ivoire dominate but Nusa strikes
Côte d'Ivoire were the better side for much of the first half, creating a string of chances and winning a remarkable number of corners — 11 in total across the match.
Diomande was particularly lively on the left flank, winning corners and causing problems for Marcus Holmgren Pedersen. Nicolas Pépé had a blocked shot in the eighth minute, and Ghislain Konan fired into the side netting from a tight angle in the 21st minute.
Haaland was largely anonymous for Norway, managing just a single headed effort in the third minute that was comfortably dealt with. Then, against the run of play in the 39th minute, Nusa received the ball from Martin Ødegaard on the left, cut inside, and curled a stunning effort into the top right corner.
Norway almost doubled their lead immediately, with Haaland's acrobatic volley blocked by Ibrahim Sangare, and Alexander Sørloth heading narrowly wide from a corner.
Diallo levels with a brilliant solo effort
Norway sat deeper after the break, looking to protect their lead, but Côte d'Ivoire continued to press. Pépé forced a fine save from Ørjan Nyland in the 55th minute, and Franck Kessie was denied by the Norwegian goalkeeper shortly after.
In the 66th minute, Torbjørn Heggem struck from close range from a corner, only for substitute Amad Diallo — who had come on at the hour mark alongside Elye Wahi — to produce a remarkable goal-line clearance.
Diallo then turned from saviour to scorer in the 74th minute, playing a one-two with Pépé before slaloming into the box and slotting past Nyland into the far corner.
Haaland has the final say
With the match level, both sides pushed for a winner. Norway made further changes, bringing on Oscar Bobb and Andreas Schjelderup for Nusa and Sørloth in the 71st minute.
Then, in the 86th minute, Bobb spun his marker and threaded a pass into the right channel for Patrick Berg, who picked out Haaland arriving at the far post. The striker needed only to extend his foot to convert, restoring Norway's lead.
Côte d'Ivoire threw everything forward in the closing stages — Diallo struck the crossbar with a free-kick in the 90th minute, and goalkeeper Yahia Fofana came up for a last-gasp corner — but Norway held on to win 2-1 and advance to the last 16, where they will face Brazil in New Jersey on 5 July.
