Half an hour without the ball — and still the hero! Haaland once again delivers for Norway

Erling Haaland once again showed why even the smallest chance is all he needs to change the course of a match.

Details: According to The Athletic, in the game against Ivory Coast, Norway's star striker went nearly half an hour without touching the ball, yet that didn't stop him from scoring the decisive goal.

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The match was far from easy for Haaland. For long stretches, the forward was a spectator, seemingly out of the game. But that's exactly what makes him so dangerous: he waits for his moment, then strikes with clinical precision.

The Athletic highlighted that Norway's talisman knows exactly when to step in and make the difference. Against Ivory Coast, he did just that in the most convincing fashion - finding the back of the net and delivering a crucial victory for his country.

At the 2026 World Cup, Haaland continues to reinforce his status as one of the tournament’s top strikers. Even when the play doesn’t flow through him, opponents can’t afford to lose focus for a second.

Reminder: Norway defeated Ivory Coast 2-1 and now face Brazil in the next round of the World Cup.