Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020

Norway vs Ivory Coast became a tense World Cup Round of 32 battle in Dallas, where Erling Haaland’s late goal gave Norway national football team a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast national football team.

The result sent Norway into the Round of 16 for a meeting with Brazil, while Ivory Coast left the tournament after pushing hard enough to make the closing minutes feel uncomfortable for Ståle Solbakken’s side. FIFA’s official match centre lists the match as a Round of 32 tie at Dallas Stadium.

For more World Cup knockout context, read World Cup Round of 32: Haaland, Mbappé And Mexico Headline High-Stakes Tuesday Slate, while official tournament details are available through the FIFA World Cup 2026 page.

Nusa’s Brilliance And Booking

Antonio Nusa gave Norway the lead in the 39th minute, finishing from a Martin Ødegaard assist after Norway found space between Ivory Coast’s midfield and back line. His goal changed the rhythm because it forced Ivory Coast to chase a game they had tried to keep balanced.

Nusa’s yellow card came in first-half stoppage time. Match event data listed the booking at 45+1 minutes for tripping, which suggests he was punished for stopping an Ivory Coast move rather than for dissent or time-wasting.

That card mattered tactically. Once Nusa was booked, he had to be more careful in defensive duels, and Norway later replaced him with Andreas Schjelderup in the 71st minute.

Ivory Coast Refused To Fold

Ivory Coast had hard moments, especially after falling behind before half-time. Their challenge was not only to recover the score, but to stop Haaland, Ødegaard and Alexander Sørloth from turning every transition into danger.

They responded with energy after the break. Amad Diallo came on and gave the attack more speed, movement and belief, then scored the equaliser in the 74th minute after combining with Nicolas Pépé.

That goal was not a lucky moment. It came from Ivory Coast’s willingness to keep attacking wide areas, commit runners forward and force Norway’s defence to defend facing its own goal.

Haaland Delivers When Norway Need Him

Haaland had quiet spells, but that is the danger with him. A striker of his level can spend long periods marked tightly and still decide the match with one touch.

In the 86th minute, Patrick Berg created the decisive moment and Haaland finished from close range. The goal was his fifth of the tournament and sent Norway through to their first World Cup knockout win.

Ivory Coast still tried to force extra time. Diallo nearly found another late answer with a stoppage-time free kick, but Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland produced a vital save to protect the lead.

Why Ivory Coast Lost

Ivory Coast lost because they could not turn their strongest second-half spell into full control. They fought back well, but after equalising, they left just enough room for Norway’s midfield to find one final forward pass.

Norway’s bench also helped. Berg’s involvement in the winner showed why fresh legs matter in knockout football, especially when both teams are stretched late.

Ivory Coast showed courage, speed and character, but Norway had the cleaner final moment. In knockout football, that is often the difference between a brave exit and a place in the next round.