Norway booked their place in the last 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast, with striker Erling Haaland scoring a late winner in Dallas.

Antonio Nusa gave Norway the lead in the 39th minute with a brilliant curling effort before Ivory Coast fought back through substitute Amad Diallo in the second half. However, Haaland struck in the 86th minute to seal a historic victory for the Scandinavians.

The result ended Ivory Coast’s impressive World Cup campaign and secured Norway’s first-ever victory in a World Cup knockout match.

Lessons from the Defeat

1. Big Players Must Start Big Games

One of the biggest talking points from the match was Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae’s decision to leave Amad Diallo on the bench.

The Manchester United winger changed the game immediately after coming on, scoring a superb equaliser and creating problems for the Norwegian defence. His performance showed that creative and influential players must start in crucial matches.

2. Defensive Approach Can Backfire

Ivory Coast lined up in a cautious 4-1-4-1 formation, seemingly determined not to concede early. However, the approach limited their attacking threat and allowed Norway to control large parts of the game.

By the time the Elephants became more adventurous, they were already behind and chasing the match.

3. Quality Finishing Decides Knockout Matches

Norway did not create many chances, but they were clinical when opportunities came their way.

Nusa’s stunning opener and Haaland’s late finish highlighted the importance of taking chances in knockout football. Ivory Coast, meanwhile, struggled to make the most of their opportunities.

4. Star Strikers Always Find a Way

Haaland had been largely quiet throughout the game, but great strikers often need only one chance.

The Manchester City forward was perfectly positioned to convert Patrick Berg’s cut-back and score his 13th consecutive goal in competitive internationals for Norway.

His winning goal once again proved why elite strikers can change games in an instant.

5. Ivory Coast Have a Bright Future

Despite the defeat, there were several positives for the African side.

Teenage sensation Yan Diomande gained valuable experience, while Amad continued to show his quality on the biggest stage. The Elephants also reached the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time in their history.

The tournament has provided a strong foundation for the future, and the team can build on this experience ahead of upcoming competitions.

Norway Set for Brazil Test

The victory sends Norway into a last-16 clash against five-time world champions Brazil after the South Americans came from behind to defeat Japan.

With Haaland, captain Martin Odegaard and the impressive Antonio Nusa in fine form, Norway will believe they can continue their dream World Cup run.

For Ivory Coast, the defeat hurts, but the lessons from Dallas could help shape a stronger and more experienced team for the future.

Tottenham have won the race to sign Mateus Fernandes from West Ham after submitting an £85million bid to sign the player, a fee Man Utd wouldn’t match.

Manchester United refused to match Tottenham’s £85million bid for Mateus Fernandes after judging it outside of their valuation of West Ham’s 21-year-old midfielder.

United have pushed hard to sign Fernandes, who emerged as their top midfield target after they pulled out of the race to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest, but it is Spurs who look set to land the one-cap Portugal international.

United were unwilling to match that bid, which meets West Ham’s asking price for a player they signed from Southampton for £38million last season.

Old Trafford sources also claimed that it wasn’t clear which club Fernandes wanted to sign for this summer. United made it a key cornerstone of their transfer strategy last year to focus on players who wanted to play for the club, but insiders claim it wasn’t clear throughout the process whether that was the case with Fernandes.

The decision not to rival Tottenham for the signature of Fernandes means United have now missed out on both of their leading midfield targets this summer. Manchester City have agreed a £116million deal to sign Anderson from Nottingham Forest.

Despite the latest setback to their plans to reshape the midfield this summer, United remain confident they will strengthen in that area and take encouragement from their transfer record last summer, when they remained patient to land Senne Lammens, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko for a spend of around £235million.

They have already agreed a deal to sign Ederson from Atalanta for an initial £35million this summer, with the Brazilian midfielder set to complete his move once his country are out of the World Cup.

United will now turn their attention to other midfield targets. They have an interest in Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and continue to admire Brighton’s Carlos Baleba.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

Former New York Knicks player Jeremy Lin poses prior to Game Three between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs in the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 08, 2026 in New York City. AFP

Jeremy Lin has played all over the world and, unsurprisingly, every team he has faced has left a lasting impression.

One of those came in 2024 when Lin suited up for the New Taipei Kings in the East Asia Super League. During that campaign, he went up against the Meralco Bolts and put on a show against the PBA club.

And if there was one thing that stayed with him after that matchup, it was the Bolts’ speed.

“They have tremendous speed, they’re very quick laterally and that’s something that sticks out to me with Filipino players and teams,” he said during the 2026 NBA Rising Stars Invitational at OCBC Arena in Singapore on Sunday.

“A lot of them are extremely athletic. They can jump high and move quickly, and that stuck out to me as well.”

In that 2024 meeting, Lin powered New Taipei to an 89-77 victory over Meralco at PhilSports Arena.

Despite the Bolts’ speed and athleticism, Lin finished with a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds.

The 2019 NBA champion, however, had more to say about Filipino basketball than just the talent on the floor.

The man who sparked “Linsanity” also praised Filipinos’ passion for the game and the respect they show their opponents.

“The Filipino squads in the PBA are, first off, very respectful. They play hard, they play to win,” he said.

A current WWE star recently spoke about his early days on the main roster, and figuring out that Vince McMahon was actually pushing him from behind the scenes.

Austin Theory had started off in NXT, moving to the main roster in 2021. Over the next few months, Vince McMahon was shown giving him advice and taking an active interest in his run. Theory eventually won the Money in the Bank contract, although he wasn’t able to win a title with it.

When Austin Theory became the WWE United States Champion, he apparently understood that Vince McMahon was pushing him quickly up the ranks. Speaking on the ImPAULsive podcast, Theory stated:

“When I got to the main roster, I didn’t even kind of realized like Vince (McMahon) was like pushing me and behind me until like I remember when I won the US title and I became the youngest US champ. But at the end of that match, Vince wanted all the heels to come out, hold me up in the ring, and then as I left the ring, he came out at the end on the stage and held my arm. And I think in that moment, I was like, whoa, like something’s going on here. Like we’re going places, you know?”

You can check out his comments below:

Austin Theory has previously explained why he joined The Vision in WWE

According to Austin Theory, joining The Vision was a calculated step.

Speaking on RAW Recap last year, the WWE star had stated:

“Well, to me, it’s about the future, and that’s exactly what The Vision is about. And it’s about taking, and that’s what I’m all about now. I’m not waiting for opportunities, and not looking at my past and saying, ‘Hey, I beat John Cena. Give me something. Somebody hand me another opportunity.’ No, we just take, and that’s how it feels now being in The Vision, just going to take everything,” Theory said.

While Theory has achieved quite a lot in The Vision, he currently does not hold any titles. What is planned for him next is something fans will have to stay tuned to know.

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