Ivory Coast advanced to the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Norway in the last 32 match played on Tuesday. Sébastien Haller scored the winning goal in the 87th minute to break Norwegian hearts.
First Half: Ivory Coast Take Early Lead
Ivory Coast dominated the early exchanges and took the lead in the 23rd minute through a well-worked team goal. Franck Kessié played a through ball to Nicolas Pépé, who crossed for Haller, but the ball was turned in by Norwegian defender Stefan Strandberg for an own goal. Norway struggled to create clear chances in the first half, with star striker Erling Haaland well marshalled by the Ivorian defence.
Second Half: Norway Equalise Before Late Drama
Norway came out stronger after the break and equalised in the 58th minute. Martin Ødegaard played a clever pass to Haaland, who shrugged off his marker and fired a low shot past goalkeeper Yahia Fofana. The goal set up a tense finale, with both teams pushing for a winner. Ivory Coast had a goal disallowed for offside in the 73rd minute, but they kept pressing.
The decisive moment came three minutes from time. Pépé delivered a corner that was met by the head of Haller, who powered the ball into the net to send the Ivorian fans into raptures. Norway pushed for an equaliser in stoppage time, but Ivory Coast held on for a famous victory.
Post-Match Reaction
Ivory Coast coach Jean-Louis Gasset praised his team's resilience. "We knew it would be a tough game against a strong Norwegian side, but the players showed great character to come back and win. Sébastien Haller is a big-game player, and he proved it again today."
Norway coach Ståle Solbakken was disappointed but acknowledged the quality of the opposition. "We gave away a sloppy goal early, but I was proud of the way we fought back. In the end, a moment of quality from Haller decided the match. We have to learn from this and come back stronger."
Ivory Coast will now face either Senegal or Japan in the round of 16, with the match scheduled for Saturday.
