Norway x Brazil: what Haaland's rating reveals about the Norwegian team

Norway qualified for the round of 16 of the World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast, goals from Erling Haaland and Antonio Nusa, and will now face Brazil on Sunday (30), at 5pm (Brasília time), in a decisive game for classification. The match against the Ivorians exposed the strengths and weaknesses of the Norwegian team. In attack, the efficiency was remarkable: Haaland and Nusa converted scarce chances, taking advantage of quick transitions to exploit spaces left by the opposing defense.

Norway showed the ability to create danger even with few opportunities, a sign of danger for any team. The presence of Amad Diallo as a speedy option on the counterattack added another layer of danger, forcing Ivory Coast to constantly retreat. The team also relied on the positional intelligence of Martin Ødegaard, who orchestrated plays on the left side and opened spaces for Håland to appear.

Defensively, however, Norway remains vulnerable in individual confrontations. Ivory Coast created several goal situations, taking advantage of imbalances in marking and positioning errors. The defensive fragility in one-on-one plays can be exploited by Brazil, which has players like Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo with speed and dribbling to destabilize any defense.

Furthermore, Norway suffered from the lack of a defensive midfielder in the match against Côte d'Ivoire, which allowed the Ivorians to advance easily through midfield. The team also showed difficulty in closing spaces in set pieces, suffering constant pressure in the area. Norway are not just a team dependent on Haaland.

Although the number 9 is the main reference, the team showed against Ivory Coast that it has a functional team, with players like Martin Ødegaard and Håland acting in harmony. The team also has a recent history of positive results against South American teams, such as the 2-1 victory over Chile in a friendly in 2023, which could give extra confidence for the duel against Brazil. Norway still benefits from a flexible tactical system, capable of alternating between pressing pressing in the first 20 minutes and organized retreat when necessary, adapting to the pace of the game.

Coach Ståle Solbakken highlighted the team's resilience after the narrow victory. "It was a difficult game, but we showed character. Now, we need to maintain this pace against a team like Brazil," he said.

Norway arrives at the duel as an unpredictable opponent, with the ability to surprise in transitions and offensive efficiency, but with defensive risks that Brazil can exploit. The team also demonstrated tactical maturity by alternating between pressing pressing and organized retreat, depending on the phase of the game. What to expect from the game?

Brazil, the favorite, should dominate ball possession and press high, while Norway will seek to exploit quick counterattacks and take advantage of the spaces left by the Brazilian defense. The match is scheduled for Sunday (30), at 5pm, at the Education City stadium, in Doha. Brazil, even with absences like Neymar, still has the quality to impose their pace, but Norway will not be an easy opponent to contain if they maintain their offensive intensity.

The Brazilian team will need to pay attention to the Norwegian defensive transition, which can become lethal if the full-backs do not position themselves correctly. Norway reaches the round of 16 as a team that surprised in the group stage, with a playing style based on speed and efficiency. The team does not have the tradition of teams like Brazil or Argentina, but its pragmatic and collective approach could represent a real challenge.

The clash against Brazil will be a test not only for Norway, but also for Brazil's ability to deal with teams that are not intimidated by pressure and explore spaces intelligently.