Ivory Coast players and staff prepare to participate in a training session in Dallas, Monday, June 29, 2026, ahead of the team's World Cup soccer match against Norway. -

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World Cup 2026

Fans of the Ivory Coast soccer team gathered on Tuesday in Abidjan, the capital of the Ivory Coast, to watch their team play against Haaland’s Norway. But a slight tap from Haaland’s left foot in the 86th minute was the difference as Norway beat Ivory Coast 2-1 on Tuesday.

“It didn’t go well this time, but next time it will work out. To all the Elephants: we’ll come back stronger in four years,” said Armel Dahou, an Ivory Coast team fan.

Antonio Nusa scored the opening goal in the first half with a curling kick for Norway, which in its fourth World Cup will next play in the round of 16 against Brazil on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Norway is in its first World Cup since that 1998 appearance, when the team got to the knockout round only after scoring goals in the 83rd and 89th minutes for an incredible 2-1 comeback win over then-reigning World Cup champion Brazil in the group finale.

Amad Diallo, who had prevented Norway from taking a two-goal lead earlier in the second half, evened the match for Ivory Coast with a left-footed kick in the 74th minute. Even after Haaland’s go-ahead goal, his Norway-record 60th in 53 matches, Ivory Coast kept pressing and had a chance to equalize with a direct free kick by Diallo in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

Orjan Nyland made a leaping stop, the last of his four saves, when he deflected the ball away as he extended his left hand across his body. Ivory Coast goalkeeper Yahia Fofana made a diving attempt at the ball that was just beyond his extended reach, and he was still in air when he turned his head back to see the ball curl into the net.

It was Nusa’s ninth international goal in 28 games for Norway.

Diallo evened the score at 1-1 after a give-and-go with Nicolas Pepe, who had scored both Ivory Coast goals in its previous game and was stopped by Nyland in the 55th minute. Diallo found space for his left-footed blast.

That came only about eight minutes after Torbjorn Heggen had a shot for Norway that was deflected away by Diallo, who was right next to his keeper.

Ivory Coast Fans Cry As Norway Knocks Them Out 2-1

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