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Erling Haaland has revealed that pure physical exhaustion, rather than just tactical brilliance, was the driving force behind his dramatic 86th-minute winning goal against Ivory Coast at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The Manchester City superstar admitted that as the high-intensity Round of 32 clash neared the 90-minute mark, his only thought was finishing the game quickly to escape an additional 30 minutes of extra time. "I was dead tired, so I thought 'I can't cope with extra time, so we have to score'," a grinning Haaland told Norwegian broadcaster TV2 via Reuters following the final whistle. https://x.com/ErlingHaaland/status/2072042058097754357?s=20 Antonio Nusa opened the scoring for Norway in the first half. Amad Diallo levelled the match with a sensational solo goal for the Ivory Coast before Haaland's late heroics. Haaland's clinical late strike secured a 2-1 victory for Norway, officially bringing an end to a historic run for Ivory Coast, who were competing in their very first World Cup knockout stage match. While the goal saved Haaland from extra-time fatigue, it also propelled the forward into football's history books, cementing several spectacular international milestones. Haaland became the first player in 72 years to score in each of his first 3 career starts at a FIFA World Cup. The winner extended his jaw-dropping scoring streak for Norway to 13 consecutive competitive international fixtures. The goal marked his 60th career strike for his country in just 53 appearances.Norway's hard-fought triumph over the spirited Elephants ensures their progression deeper into the tournament brackets. However, the path forward does not get any easier for Haaland and his teammates. With the Round of 32 successfully navigated, Norway has officially set up a blockbuster Round of 16 showdown against five-time world champions Brazil in New York on Sunday, July 5. Given the calibre of their upcoming opponents, Haaland will need to recover his energy quickly for what promises to be another gruelling encounter. (ANI)
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