Haaland double sends Brazil packing from World Cup

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey:

Erling Haaland scored, and Andreas Schjelderup jumped on his teammate’s back. Haaland scored again, and Schjelderup leapt up again.

Heading in the go-ahead goal in the 79th minute and scoring again before the end of regulation time, Haaland put Norway on his back and carried them into the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time with a 2-1 defeat of Brazil on Sunday that showcased the towering striker on soccer’s biggest stage.

“Maybe this will write history in Norway,” Haaland said. “Everyone just needs to enjoy themselves. This is just an insane day. It’s one of the most insane days in Norwegian history. Just enjoy it, embrace it and enjoy the moment.”

After being a non-factor for much of the afternoon and having limited touches, Haaland spoke at the second-half hydration break with coach Ståle Solbakken, who told him to drain his energy and go for it.

Haaland turned it on when it mattered most, getting the right side of his head on the ball after a perfect setup by Andreas Schjelderup, who entered at halftime. Haaland scored a little over minutes later for his seventh of the tournament, through Danilo’s legs to tie Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé of France in the race for the Golden Boot.

“It felt like it was a gift from God that it actually went into the net,” Haaland said after scoring in a 14th consecutive competitive match internationally. He has 27 in that stretch and 62 in 54 with Norway.

At the other end, goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland was stellar. He made a crucial stop early, diving to his left to deny Bruno Guimarães’ penalty kick in the 14th minute, then got his left hand on a shot by Endrick late when Norway was hanging on to a one-goal lead.

The only goal Nyland allowed was to Neymar on a penalty kick late in stoppage time, which changed just the final score.

Nyland, who at 35 is his team’s oldest player, was a huge factor in a historic victory that ranks among the most significant in the country’s history — at least on the men’s side. Norway’s women’s team won the World Cup in 1995, but the men have only qualified four times and not since 1998. They had not gone further than the round of 16.

“I think that all Norwegian citizens are experiencing the night of a lifetime,” Solbakken said. “Some people say that we have changed Norway forever. Probably, they will party for a week or so.”

Norway next face the winner of the Mexico-England round-of-16 game on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida. Solbakken said he had more than a dozen friends already book travel to South Florida.

Guimarães became the first Brazil player not to score a World Cup penalty kick since Zico in 1986. The decision to have him take it instead of star Vinícius Júnior brought immediate second-guessing and may be questioned and criticised for quite some time.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti said he and his staff did a yearlong statistical study that determined, with Neymar not on the field and Raphinha injured, Guimarães was the right choice.

“We really fell short in the opportunities that we did create,” captain Marquinhos said. “We had a penalty kick, we had some other chances as well, but here’s the World Cup for you. Those that make the least mistakes are able to move forward to the next round, and to be victorious.”