Norway vs England meet in a World Cup quarterfinal after Norway shocked Brazil and England edged Mexico 3 to 2 in the round of 16, according to FIFA match reports.
At MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Norway beat Brazil 2 to 1, ending the five time world champion’s run, FIFA match reports said. The match was scoreless at halftime after Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland made a decisive save to stop a penalty by Brazil captain Bruno Guimarães in the first half, a moment FIFA identified as turning the game.
In the second half, Manchester City forward Erling Haaland scored twice, first with a header in the 79th minute and then with a low shot from the edge of the box in the 90th minute, both set up by substitute midfielder Andreas Schjelderup, FIFA reported. Haaland now leads the tournament scoring charts with seven goals, FIFA statistics show.
Brazil pulled one back when substitute Neymar converted a penalty in the 100th minute of stoppage time, but it was too late to change the outcome. FIFA’s official match report lists the final score as Norway 2, Brazil 1, and notes that Norway achieved its best ever finish at a World Cup with the victory.
At Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, England survived a late surge to beat Mexico 3 to 2, FIFA match reports said. England midfielder Jude Bellingham struck twice inside a two minute span in the first half to give England a 2 to 0 lead before Julián Quiñones pulled a goal back for Mexico in the 42nd minute.
Early in the second half England was reduced to 10 men when defender Jarell Quansah received a straight red card for a serious foul, leaving England to defend with one fewer player, FIFA reported. Under that pressure, Anthony Gordon won a penalty in the 58th minute and England captain Harry Kane converted, making the score 3 to 1, according to the match record.
Mexico veteran striker Raúl Jiménez then converted a penalty to make it 3 to 2, and the host nation mounted a late wave of attacks. England manager Thomas Tuchel made several defensive substitutions, and England held on to advance, FIFA said, becoming the fourth team to reach the quarterfinals.
Those two knockout wins set up the Norway vs England quarterfinal, a matchup pitting Haaland and Martin Ødegaard against England’s Bellingham and Kane, FIFA preview notes said. The tie raises immediate selection questions for England because Quansah will miss the quarterfinal through suspension after his red card, according to an England team statement.
How Norway vs England lines and tactics could change
With Quansah suspended, England may shift players to cover the right back role, and manager Thomas Tuchel has several options, press briefings and team reports indicate. One likely choice is to use defensive midfielder Declan Rice at right back on a temporary basis, a tactical move discussed by England coaching staff during the postmatch press conference, team officials said.
Norway coach Stale Solbakken will need to decide whether to keep relying on the substitute creativity that produced both Haaland goals, or to adjust after Brazil targeted their starting lineup, Norwegian Football Federation communications director said. Both teams will be judged on how they manage substitutions and game tempo against top opposition, analysts at UEFA and FIFA tournament coverage wrote.
What to watch in the Norway vs England quarterfinal
Watch for set pieces and how each side defends them, because both teams scored from substitutes or set plays in the round of 16, FIFA statistics show. Expect England to play compact defense after Quansah’s suspension, while Norway will try to exploit space behind the fullbacks for Haaland and Ødegaard to target, tactical notes from tournament analysts said.
The quarterfinal pairing will be played later this week, with the official match schedule and kickoff time posted by FIFA. Tickets and broadcast details are available from FIFA and tournament broadcasters, organizers said.