Brazil and Norway went into the break level at 0-0 in their World Cup round of 16 tie at MetLife Stadium on 6 July, an open and eventful first half that produced a missed penalty, a disallowed goal and chances at both ends.
Norway thought they had taken an early lead when Patrick Berg fired home from the edge of the box inside the opening three minutes, only for the goal to be ruled out, with Alexander Sorloth caught fractionally offside in the build up. It was an encouraging sign nonetheless for Stale Solbakken’s side, who continued to press with intent, forcing three long balls out to Sorloth from goalkeeper Orjan Nyland as Brazil’s centre backs focused their attention on Erling Haaland through the middle.
Brazil, wide open through midfield once again, were nonetheless the more dangerous side on the counter attack, and won a penalty in the 12th minute after Matheus Cunha was brought down by Kristoffer Ajer inside the box. Bruno Guimaraes, only the fourth in game penalty of his senior career, stepped up but produced a poor spot kick with a stuttering run up, allowing Nyland to save comfortably and keep the scores level.
The let off did little to settle Brazil’s nerves at the back. Vinicius Junior almost punished a loose Norway touch moments later, forcing another smart save from Nyland after robbing possession inside the box, while Martin Odegaard also spurned two presentable opportunities either side of the half hour mark, first firing into the side netting after cutting in from the right, then failing to test Alisson from a promising position deep into stoppage time after being played through by a rampaging Haaland.
Haaland himself had a quiet first half by his own standards, managing only five touches before drawing his first shot of the match, a tame side footed effort straight at Alisson from a Nusa cross. Vinicius Junior and Gabriel Martinelli looked the more likely source of a breakthrough for Brazil, with Martinelli surging clear down the left just past the half hour mark to deliver a dangerous cross that narrowly evaded a touch in the box.
Both sides made just one change from their previous round of 32 wins. Gabriel Martinelli was rewarded for his late winner against Japan with a first start of the tournament in place of the injured Lucas Paqueta, while Norway recalled Julian Ryerson at right back after he recovered from a thigh injury, restoring the athletic outlet Solbakken has relied on throughout the tournament.
Conditions added a further layer of difficulty for both sides, with temperatures around 84F and humidity making for a testing afternoon, while a flood watch remained in effect around New Jersey with the threat of thunderstorms increasing as the match progressed.
The stakes for the second half remain significant. Brazil have lost to the first European side they have faced in the World Cup knockout stage in every tournament since their triumph in 2002, a run that includes defeats to France, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Croatia. Norway, for their part, remain the only nation Brazil have never beaten in four previous meetings, adding further intrigue to what has so far been a tightly contested and absorbing occasion.
The winner will face either Mexico or England in the quarter finals.
