Ivory Coast exit World Cup after late defeat to Norway
Ivory Coast have been eliminated from the FIFA World Cup after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Norway, with Erling Haaland scoring a late winner to send the Europeans into the last 16.
The Ivorians, playing in the country's first-ever World Cup knockout match, conceded in the 39th minute when Antonio Nusa cut in from the left and curled a right-footed effort into the top corner.
Head coach Emerse Fae had opted for a more defensive 4-1-4-1 formation, leaving Amad Diallo on the bench. Ivory Coast struggled to create chances in the first half before Diallo was introduced after the break.
The Manchester United forward made an immediate impact, scoring a fine equaliser in the 74th minute after cutting in from the right, beating two defenders and finishing confidently for his second goal of the tournament.
Diallo had earlier produced a crucial defensive intervention, clearing Torbjorn Heggem's volley off the line to keep Ivory Coast in the contest.
However, Norway restored their lead in the 86th minute when Haaland tapped home from close range following Patrick Berg's cut-back, sealing a 2-1 victory.
The result ends Ivory Coast's 2026 World Cup campaign, while Norway advance to the last 16, where they will face Brazil.
Haaland's goal extended his scoring run to 13 successive competitive international matches for Norway and secured his country's first World Cup knockout victory.
Source: classfmonline.com
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