Of course it was him. Erling Haaland possesses more than enough talent to wear the iconic Brazil jersey, but the Norway striker has secured himself a showdown against the likes of Vinicius Jnr as he pursues his own FIFA World Cup ambitions.
Norway are making waves in what marks their first World Cup participation in 28 years, but they're not lacking in quality and eliminated the Ivory Coast in the Round of 32 to preserve their own aspirations.
The stakes for both nations were enormous, but in a tight game, it was the Europeans who delivered the decisive moments, and Norway will have plenty to occupy Carlo Ancelotti's side, as per The Mirror.
Brazil are not the powerhouse of yesteryear and a side capable of sheer brilliance, but equally periods of stagnation during matches, which the Scandinavians will aim to capitalize on.
Antonio Nusa's flash of individual genius sparked the game as the RB Leipzig player drifted in from the right before curling a strike into the far corner to ignite the match.
Nicolas Pepe had a second-half opportunity with the former Arsenal player no more than nine yards out - but his attempt was denied by Orjan Nyland. Manchester United's Amad was far more clinical when he had his chance, laying the ball off to a teammate before collecting it, cutting inside, and converting to equalize the match.
Knockout matches at the World Cup so far have continued to be settled late, and it was Haaland who delivered the decisive moment with five minutes remaining. The Manchester City striker was lurking and slotted into an empty net after the ball was squared by Patrick Berg, although it was not his cleanest touch as the forward held his breath for a split second.
Amad nearly produced a second equalizer as he struck a stoppage-time free-kick, only to be thwarted by a remarkable save.
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Norway essentially sacrificed a match last week when they made 10 changes against France, essentially fielding a reserve side against Les Blues, a fixture they would've been outsiders to win even if they'd been at full strength.
They became the first nation in World Cup history to make 10 changes in consecutive matches, and they teetered on the edge of being a refreshed squad vs one that was lacking in match sharpness. Ultimately, it was a gamble that paid dividends.
Brazil secured their place in the World Cup Round of 16 with the latest of late heroics against Japan on Monday. All the smart money points to a game between England and the South Americans come the last eight, but both nations need to navigate matches before that can materialize.
Norway will hope it is them facing the English in Miami later in the tournament, and in Haaland they have a player capable of winning fixtures on his own. That said, the Norwegians demonstrated they are no one-man band with their triumph in Dallas.
Source: Alloutsoccer.com
