New Jersey, July 6: Norway produced one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, beating five-time champions Brazil 2-1 to book their place in the quarterfinals for the first time.
Brazil controlled possession for long periods and created the better chances early in the match. The South Americans looked set to continue their march toward another World Cup title, but they failed to turn their dominance into goals. A first-half penalty was wasted, leaving the match finely balanced.
Norway remained disciplined at the back and waited for opportunities to counterattack. Coach Ståle Solbakken’s second-half changes transformed the game, with substitute Andreas Schjelderup playing a key role by setting up both goals.
The breakthrough came in the 79th minute when Erling Haaland rose above the Brazilian defence to head home. Eleven minutes later, the Manchester City striker struck again with a powerful finish to make it 2-0 and silence the Brazilian supporters. His brace took his tournament tally to seven goals.
Brazil pulled one back through Neymar from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time, but it came too late to spark a comeback. The final whistle triggered wild celebrations among the Norwegian players and fans, while Brazil’s players left the pitch devastated.
The victory sends Norway into the quarterfinals, where they will face England.
England edge Mexico in thriller
MEXICO CITY: England survived a fierce challenge from hosts Mexico to claim a thrilling 3-2 victory and secure a place in the World Cup quarterfinals.
The match, delayed by an hour because of thunderstorms around the Azteca Stadium, lived up to expectations as both teams attacked from the opening whistle.
Mexico, backed by a passionate home crowd, fought hard and twice found the net to keep England under pressure. England, however, responded each time with clinical finishing and showed greater composure in the decisive moments.
The Three Lions scored three times to seal a hard-fought win and end Mexico’s impressive tournament run. Thomas Tuchel’s side displayed resilience after facing sustained pressure from the hosts in front of a packed stadium.
England’s victory sets up an intriguing quarterfinal against Norway, whose confidence will be sky-high after knocking out Brazil. The winner of that tie will move one step closer to the World Cup final.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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