Brazil vs Norway

Norway produced one of the greatest results in their football history, knocking out five-time champions Brazil 2-1 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time. It was a performance built on defensive resilience and ruthless finishing from Erling Haaland, who scored twice in the second half to take his tournament tally to seven goals and keep himself firmly in the Golden Boot race. The first half was a lifeless, tentative affair, with neither side willing to commit too heavily in the opening exchanges. Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland was the busier of the two stoppers, producing a crucial early save to deny Bruno Guimarães from the penalty spot — the spot-kick awarded after a controversial VAR check that had Brazilian players furious. Haaland came alive after the break. His 79th-minute header from an Antonio Nusa cross was a thing of pure power and timing, and his 90th-minute finish — latching onto a through-ball and clipping it past Ederson — sealed one of the results of the tournament. Neymar, playing in what may have been his final competitive match, eventually converted a penalty for Brazil to make it 2-1, but it came too late and sparked only a brief flicker of hope before the final whistle confirmed the extraordinary. Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil are eliminated. Norway advance to face Mexico or England in Miami on July 11. The inquest into Brazil's exit — meek, penalty-dependent and devoid of the attacking brilliance expected of a five-times champion — begins immediately.