Haaland knocks Brazil out of World Cup as Norway reach quarters

East Rutherford, United States: Erling Haaland scored two late goals to send Norway through to a first World Cup quarter-final with a stunning 2-1 win over Brazil that condemned the five-time champions to their earliest exit since 1990. solvita.blog

Norway goalkeeper Orlan Nyland produced a sensational display and saved a first-half penalty from Bruno Guimaraes before Haaland struck twice in the last 11 minutes to stun Brazil at MetLife Stadium.

Neymar pulled a goal back deep into stoppage time with Brazil's second spot-kick of the match.

Erling Haaland #9 of Norway celebrates with teammate Andreas Schjelderup #21 after scoring his team's second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Brazil and Norway at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 05, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by AL BELLO / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Haaland's brace took him level with Lionel Messi on seven goals for the tournament as Norway booked a showdown against either co-hosts Mexico or England in Miami on July 11.

For Brazil, who hired Carlo Ancelotti in a bid to end a 24-year World Cup drought, it is the sixth straight tournament where they have been knocked out by European opposition.

The last time Brazil failed to reach at least the quarter-finals came 36 years ago, when they lost 1-0 to arch-rivals Argentina in last 16.

Gabriel Martinelli was rewarded for scoring the stoppage-time winner against Japan in the previous round, as the Arsenal winger replaced the injured Lucas Paqueta in the lone change to Brazil's line-up.

Norway were boosted by the return of Julian Ryerson, the Borussia Dortmund defender fit again after missing the past two games with a thigh injury.

Patrick Berg thought he had given Norway the lead inside three minutes, but his effort was ruled out for offside in the build-up.

After a rocky start, Brazil won a penalty when Kristoffer Ajer clattered into Matheus Cunha in the box.

The Brazilians were left furious as referee Ismail Elfath initially waved away their appeals, but VAR intervened and the decision was overturned.

Guimaraes stepped up, but Nyland guessed correctly, diving low to his left to push away the Newcastle midfielder's tame penalty.

Nyland again came to Norway's rescue, getting a crucial touch to Martinelli's low drive as it flashed across goal, denying Guimaraes a simple tap-in.

When Martin Odegaard lost possession on the edge of his own box, Nyland once more saved Norway as he stuck out a leg to thwart Vinicius Junior.

Haaland had struggled to make a significant impact, but his strength created a glorious opening for Norway before half-time.

The striker caused problems for Gabriel Magalhaes and Marquinhos in the Brazil defence before the ball broke kindly for Odegaard, whose effort was well saved by Alisson Becker.

Norway coach Stale Solbakken brought on Oscar Bobb and Andreas Schjelderup at the break for Antonio Nusa and Alexander Sorloth, but it was the introduction of Endrick that almost changed the game immediately.

Vinicius slipped Endrick through on goal with a delightful outside-of-the-foot pass, only for the teenager to dink wide as Nyland came out to close him down.

Nyland continued to frustrate Brazil, producing a good save to claw away Rayan's fierce strike before making another outstanding stop to deny Guimaraes, although the offside flag went up.

The arrival of Neymar in the 67th minute drew huge roars from the largely pro-Brazil crowd.

It was Norway who eventually broke the deadlock though, and it came through an inevtiable source.

Schjelderup whipped in a cross from the left and soared above Gabriel to power a header into the corner.

As Brazil desperately chased an equaliser, an incredible fingertip save from a backpedalling Nyland prevented Ajer from looping the ball into his own net.

Haaland gave Norway breathing space as he hammered low into the corner from the edge of the box in the 90th minute.

It proved vital when Neymar converted a penalty in the 10th minute of stoppage time, preceded by an unseemly spat with 'keeper Nyland, following an elbow on Casemiro.

استقبل آلاف المشجعين منتخب الرأس الأخضر المكنى بـ «أسماك القرش الزرقاء» الأحد، رافعين لافتات في مطار برايا لدى عودة الفريق بعد خسارته المشرفة أمام الأرجنتين 2-3 في واحدة من أكثر مباريات كأس العالم إثارة للدهشة.
ويستعد منتخب «أسماك القرش الزرقاء» لموكب احتفالي في شوارع العاصمة قبل لقاء رئيس وأعضاء آخرين من حكومة هذه الدولة الأرخبيلية الصغيرة الواقعة غرب إفريقيا.
وتأهل منتخب الرأس الأخضر إلى الأدوار الإقصائية في مشاركته الأولى في كأس العالم، وادخل الفرحة إلى قلوب جماهيره واكتسب شعبية عالمية بعدما فاقت نتائجه التوقعات.
في مباراة ملحمية ضمن دور الـ32 في ميامي، كاد منتخب الرأس الأخضر أن يُقصي الأرجنتين، لكن حامل اللقب انتزع الفوز 3-2 في الوقت الإضافي.
وأشاد أنطونيو دوارتي وزير الثقافة والرياضة بمنتخب «أسماك القرش الزرقاء» ومدربهم لـ «ترسيخ مكانة الرأس الأخضر كدولة عظيمة».
ورغم خسارة المنتخب أمام رفاق النجم ليونيل ميسي، انطلقت الاحتفالات في برايا فجر السبت، حيث احتفل المشجعون بهذه الرحلة الخيالية والهزيمة بفارق ضئيل أمام أبطال العالم.
واحتفلت الرأس الأخضر، وهي دولة يبلغ عدد سكانها 500 ألف نسمة فقط، الأحد بالذكرى السنوية الـ 51 لاستقلالها عن البرتغال التي حكمت البلاد لمدة 500 عام.

Washington, United States: President Donald Trump on Sunday thanked football's world governing body FIFA for suspending the red card issued to USA's Folarin Balogun, paving the way for the striker to play in a last-16 World Cup showdown against Belgium.

Balogun was set to miss the match on Monday after being shown a straight red card in the last-32 game against Bosnia-Herzegovina for stepping on the foot of defender Tarik Muharemovic as the co-hosts won 2-0.

FIFA said Sunday the ban will be suspended for a year.

"Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Balogun has been key to the USA's progress in the tournament and his absence against Belgium would have been a blow to the team.

FIFA said in a statement: "In line with article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year."

After the red card, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had called for the card to be rescinded.

أعلن 3-2-1 متحف قطر الأولمبي والرياضي اختيار الفنانة اليونانية البريطانية متعددة الوسائط لوسيندا ديلوورث للمشاركة في النسخة الثانية من برنامج «التراث الأولمبي - الإقامة الفنية»، الذي ينظمه المتحف بالشراكة مع المتحف الأولمبي في لوزان بسويسرا، أول سبتمبر حتى بداية ديسمبر المقبلين.يتيح البرنامج الفرصة للفنانين الرقميين لاستلهام التراث الأولمبي عبر الوصول إلى مقتنيات وأرشيفات المتحفين، وإنتاج أعمال فنية جديدة تُعرض ضمن فعاليات الأولمبياد الثقافي المصاحب لدورة الألعاب الأولمبية الصيفية في لوس أنجلوس 2028. وبالتزامن مع إقامة ديلوورث في الدوحة، تستضيف مدينة لوزان الفنانة إيزابيلا هين، المقيمة في باريس، ضمن البرنامج ذاته، الذي انطلق عام 2025 ويستمر سنويًا حتى دورة الألعاب الأولمبية في لوس أنجلوس 2028.وأكد السيد عبدالله الملا، مدير 3-2-1 متحف قطر الأولمبي والرياضي، أن استضافة الفنانة لوسيندا ديلوورث تعكس الدور المتنامي للدوحة بوصفها مركزًا للإبداع والتبادل الثقافي.

Los Angeles: The United States face the biggest day of soccer in their history on Monday as they play Belgium in what will be a spicy encounter for a place in the World Cup quarter-finals after an intervention by Donald Trump further fired up the Belgians.

They are furious US star striker Folarin Balogun can play after a one match ban was suspended for a year -- the decision came after Trump phoned Fifa chief Gianni Infantino

The Royal Belgian Football Association said in a statement it had "no alternative but to challenge the player's eligibility for the upcoming match."

Balogun, who has scored three goals at the World Cup, had been set to miss the clash in Seattle after receiving a straight red card following a video review for stepping on a Bosnia-Herzegovina defender's foot in the round-of-32 match that the US won 2-0.

Under FIFA rules, a straight red card automatically triggers a one-game ban.

Trump called Infantino asking him to review Balogun's punishment, two sources familiar with the matter told AFP.

World football's governing body said on Sunday the ban will now be suspended for a year, in a stunning move for which no specific explanation was offered.

"Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

The US team welcomed the decision, which coach Mauricio Pochettino called "fair", but it sparked outrage from Belgium and other teams.

European football's governing body UEFA slammed the ruling declaring FIFA had "crossed a red line".

"We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision," added UEFA in a strongly-worded statement.

The European Union also took issue with Trump's intervention.

"Influencing sporting decisions would undermine the autonomy of sport," said EU sports commissioner Glenn Micallef.

"Our focus should instead be on the real governance challenges facing sport, including the weaponisation of sport for political purposes."

The Belgian government were non-plussed by the decision calling it "incomprehensible".

England coach Thomas Tuchel, asked about the Balogun case after having one of his own players sent off in the nerve-jangling 3-2 win against Mexico on Sunday,

said: "Where does this start and end now? Can we overturn it?

"Where to draw the line is the question I ask. Where does this end now?

"It's my question, I don't have an answer," the German added.

Tuchel's compatriot Jurgen Klopp, who is in line to become the next coach of Germany, did not mince his words.

"This is our game, not theirs... If Trump and Infantino really worked this all out between themselves, that's crazy. It calls everything into question...

"These two individuals, neither of whom has a clue about football, shouldn't have anything to do with it," the 59-year-old added.

The stakes in Monday's game are huge for the co-hosts. Playing on home soil, a strong US start to the tournament has raised expectations to fever-pitch levels among the American public.

Mauricio Pochettino's side are targeting a historic run to at least the quarter-finals, which they have not reached since 2002.

In the first game Monday, European champions Spain face neighbours Portugal in Dallas for a place in the last eight.

On Sunday, Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo came out fighting against critics he said had been "trying to kill me for the past 23 years".

Ronaldo, 41, admitted he was not the player he used to be, but said "I am not doing too bad", pointing to the three goals he has scored at the tournament.

Relishing taking on journalists eager to ask about his future and the harsh spotlight on him, Ronaldo told reporters: "It's been like this since I was 18, it is not going to change."

Spain started the World Cup sluggishly but found their form in breezing past Austria 3-0 in the last 32 and their own superstar, 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, is ready to showcase his precocious talents, coach Luis de la Fuente said.

"He likes to be the focus, he likes the responsibility, he likes to take the initiative," said de la Fuente.