Norway have reached the knockout stages of a World Cup for the first time in nearly three decades, edging past Côte d’Ivoire 2-1 in a tense, swinging round-of-32 tie at AT&T Stadium on Tuesday night.
A Bold Gamble Pays Off
The result vindicates a decision that looked reckless just days earlier. Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken had rested almost his entire first-choice lineup for the final group game against France, a call that drew heavy criticism — particularly from supporters who’d paid premium prices expecting to watch Erling Haaland go head-to-head with Kylian Mbappé. Solbakken had been upfront that the gamble would be judged purely on the outcome against Côte d’Ivoire. With Norway through to the last 16, the bet has paid off.
How the Game Unfolded
Norway looked comfortably in control for long stretches. Antonio Nusa put them ahead just before halftime, cutting inside past Nicolas Pépé and curling a finish beyond goalkeeper Yahia Fofana. For much of the second half, Côte d’Ivoire’s possession looked toothless, and a Norwegian win seemed a formality.
Then came a moment of brilliance from substitute Amad Diallo. Sixteen minutes from time, he combined with Pépé in a swift one-two that sliced through Norway’s defense, beat a fourth defender, and slotted home an equalizer — not long after producing a crucial last-ditch clearance at the other end to deny a near-certain Norwegian goal.
With the contest suddenly wide open, it was Patrick Berg — the only Norway player to start both of the team’s previous two matches — who created the decisive moment, teeing up Haaland with four minutes left. Haaland’s finish wasn’t pretty, but it didn’t need to be; it sent the wall of Norwegian fans behind the goal into raptures. Goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland then held firm in stoppage time, producing a sprawling save to deny a Diallo free-kick and seal the win.
Uncharted Territory for Both Sides
This was new ground for both teams. Côte d’Ivoire had never previously advanced beyond the group stage at a World Cup, despite a long history of winning at least one match in every tournament they’d entered. Norway’s knockout experience was even thinner — just two prior matches, in 1938 (when the format had no group stage) and 1998, losing to Italy both times.
For Côte d’Ivoire, the defeat continues a pattern that has dogged the team since their surprise Africa Cup of Nations triumph in 2024 — a run during which they lost two group games (including a heavy defeat to Equatorial Guinea), changed coaches midway through the tournament, and still somehow won it all. Since that unlikely triumph, the team has often produced plenty of possession and chances without the cutting edge to finish teams off — a problem that resurfaced again here.
What’s Next
Norway’s reward for finishing the job is a daunting one: a last-16 meeting with Brazil in the New York/New Jersey area. After two largely free-scoring, front-foot performances so far in the tournament, this win required something different from Solbakken’s side — patience, defensive discipline, and the ability to grind out a result rather than simply overwhelm an opponent. Whether that approach holds up against Brazil will be the next big test of just how far this Norway side can go.
Notably, the squad’s camaraderie has been a recurring theme of the tournament — several players, including Berg and Haaland, are sons of former World Cup participants, and the post-match celebrations saw captain Martin Ødegaard lead teammates and fans in a mass Viking-style boat-rowing celebration.
