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NEW YORK — The summer of Erling Haaland has reached a new high.
Haaland, the ponytailed prodigy delivering a World Cup for the ages, added to his legend in dramatic fashion Sunday, scoring both goals in Norway’s 2-1 upset victory over Brazil at New York New Jersey Stadium.
The 6-5 striker broke a scoreless tie when he headed in a cross from Andreas Schjelderup in the 79th minute.
Haaland then drilled the dagger in the 90th minute with a left-footed strike from just outside the box, sending 21st-ranked Norway to the World Cup quarterfinal for the first time ever.
The late heroics followed a frustrating initial 78 minutes for Haaland, whom fifth-ranked Brazil double-teamed all afternoon and largely prevented from touching the ball.
Haaland didn’t take his first shot until the 36th minute, and that proved to be his only shot of the first half.
The frustration only escalated in the second half when, in the 65th and 66th minutes, Norway twice failed to complete passes to a ready-to-strike Haaland in front of the goal.
But Haaland broke through — twice — when Norway needed him most.
Haaland’s seven goals through four games have tied him with Argentina’s Lionel Messi and France’s Kylian Mbappe for the most scores in this World Cup.
Entering the tournament, Haaland was already one of the best players in the sport.
His 27 goals for Manchester City last season led the English Premier League. His 16 goals in UEFA qualifying — in only eight games — were the most of any player.
But to non-soccer fans, Haaland was hardly a household name.
Norway had not qualified for a World Cup since 1998. Haaland had never competed in an international tournament.
That’s certainly changed this summer.
Haaland quickly emerged as one of the World Cup’s breakout stars, both for his Herculean feats on the field and his viral moments off of it.
“It’s my specialty to score goals,” Haaland said on June 23, after scoring twice in a 3-2 win over Senegal in Norway’s first match in the Meadowlands.
“I’m just really good at scoring goals.”
Equipped with blazing speed and a 6-5, 205-pound frame that stands out even on Norway’s towering roster, Haaland entered Sunday with five goals in three games.
None was bigger than his go-ahead score in the 86th minute of last week’s 2-1 win over the Ivory Coast, clinching Norway’s first-ever victory in a World Cup knockout match.
“This is unbelievable,” Haaland said after that round-of-32 victory in Arlington, Texas, which set up Sunday’s meeting with Brazil. “This is history.”
And the hulking Haaland delighted with a larger-than-life personality to match, soaking in American culture at every stop.
Haaland spent a pre-World Cup off-day at Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, celebrating in animated fashion as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights at Raleigh’s Lenovo Center. Norway’s World Cup home base was about 75 miles west of there in Greenboro, N.C.
He fit right in during his trip to North Texas, donning a novelty shirt that read “Y’all can kiss my Dallas” as he tried on boots and a cowboy hat at Wild Bill’s Western Store.
And the same went for his time in New York City, where Haaland scarfed down a pastrami-on-rye sandwich from Katz’s Delicatessen and laughed on camera in mouth-filled approval.
Haaland has perfectly embodied the fun-loving Norway fans whose spirited chants and viral “Viking row” — a coordination celebration in which the crowd mimics rowing a Norse longship — made them stand out in every city they visited.
Norway has become a lovable underdog in this World Cup, rising from No. 31 in FIFA’s final pre-tournament ranking to No. 21 entering Sunday.
With a population of just 5.6 million people, Norway was especially a David against the soccer Goliath that is Brazil, a country with more than 200 million and that boasts more World Cup championships (five) than any other nation.
The disparity was evident Sunday at New York New Jersey Stadium, where all but a few red-hued sections were overwhelmingly filled with yellow-and-green Brazilian jerseys.
But Norway had Haaland — and in the end, that was the difference.
____
Continue reading...
Haaland, the ponytailed prodigy delivering a World Cup for the ages, added to his legend in dramatic fashion Sunday, scoring both goals in Norway’s 2-1 upset victory over Brazil at New York New Jersey Stadium.
The 6-5 striker broke a scoreless tie when he headed in a cross from Andreas Schjelderup in the 79th minute.
Haaland then drilled the dagger in the 90th minute with a left-footed strike from just outside the box, sending 21st-ranked Norway to the World Cup quarterfinal for the first time ever.
The late heroics followed a frustrating initial 78 minutes for Haaland, whom fifth-ranked Brazil double-teamed all afternoon and largely prevented from touching the ball.
Haaland didn’t take his first shot until the 36th minute, and that proved to be his only shot of the first half.
The frustration only escalated in the second half when, in the 65th and 66th minutes, Norway twice failed to complete passes to a ready-to-strike Haaland in front of the goal.
But Haaland broke through — twice — when Norway needed him most.
Haaland’s seven goals through four games have tied him with Argentina’s Lionel Messi and France’s Kylian Mbappe for the most scores in this World Cup.
Entering the tournament, Haaland was already one of the best players in the sport.
His 27 goals for Manchester City last season led the English Premier League. His 16 goals in UEFA qualifying — in only eight games — were the most of any player.
But to non-soccer fans, Haaland was hardly a household name.
Norway had not qualified for a World Cup since 1998. Haaland had never competed in an international tournament.
That’s certainly changed this summer.
Haaland quickly emerged as one of the World Cup’s breakout stars, both for his Herculean feats on the field and his viral moments off of it.
“It’s my specialty to score goals,” Haaland said on June 23, after scoring twice in a 3-2 win over Senegal in Norway’s first match in the Meadowlands.
“I’m just really good at scoring goals.”
Equipped with blazing speed and a 6-5, 205-pound frame that stands out even on Norway’s towering roster, Haaland entered Sunday with five goals in three games.
None was bigger than his go-ahead score in the 86th minute of last week’s 2-1 win over the Ivory Coast, clinching Norway’s first-ever victory in a World Cup knockout match.
“This is unbelievable,” Haaland said after that round-of-32 victory in Arlington, Texas, which set up Sunday’s meeting with Brazil. “This is history.”
And the hulking Haaland delighted with a larger-than-life personality to match, soaking in American culture at every stop.
Haaland spent a pre-World Cup off-day at Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, celebrating in animated fashion as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights at Raleigh’s Lenovo Center. Norway’s World Cup home base was about 75 miles west of there in Greenboro, N.C.
He fit right in during his trip to North Texas, donning a novelty shirt that read “Y’all can kiss my Dallas” as he tried on boots and a cowboy hat at Wild Bill’s Western Store.
And the same went for his time in New York City, where Haaland scarfed down a pastrami-on-rye sandwich from Katz’s Delicatessen and laughed on camera in mouth-filled approval.
Haaland has perfectly embodied the fun-loving Norway fans whose spirited chants and viral “Viking row” — a coordination celebration in which the crowd mimics rowing a Norse longship — made them stand out in every city they visited.
Norway has become a lovable underdog in this World Cup, rising from No. 31 in FIFA’s final pre-tournament ranking to No. 21 entering Sunday.
With a population of just 5.6 million people, Norway was especially a David against the soccer Goliath that is Brazil, a country with more than 200 million and that boasts more World Cup championships (five) than any other nation.
The disparity was evident Sunday at New York New Jersey Stadium, where all but a few red-hued sections were overwhelmingly filled with yellow-and-green Brazilian jerseys.
But Norway had Haaland — and in the end, that was the difference.
____
Continue reading...
