World Cup: Norway march on and the night promises fireworks
Haaland's Norway knocked out Ivory Coast and more knockout ties are in play. The bracket keeps tightening.
The World Cup has reached the stage where every game is a final, and Norway did not let theirs slip. With Erling Haaland driving the side, the Scandinavians beat Ivory Coast 2-1 and move on, confirming that this Norwegian generation really has come to trouble the big names.
The rest of the day
The night still held heavyweight clashes. France, among the favourites for everything, were testing themselves against Sweden, while Mexico faced Ecuador at home in the fabled Estadio Azteca, with a whole country behind them. These are straight knockout games, no safety net: lose, and you pack the boots and go home.
Why it matters here
For Portuguese fans, each of these results helps map the road to the final. The more favourites fall, the wider the door swings open, and Portugal know well that at a World Cup surprises are worth their weight in gold. The national team has its own date in this round, and any of these winners could turn up further along the bracket.
This is the rhythm until 19 July: plenty of nerves, few certainties and the feeling that any team can pull off the upset.
See also: Portugal-Croatia in the round and the knockout bracket.
Official results and schedule at FIFA.
By Vasco Almada
Image: Bryan Berlin / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
