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Erling Haaland’s father appeared close to tears in the stands as his son fired Norway through to the last-16 of the World Cup with a late winner against Ivory Coast.
It was on 86 minutes in Texas that the Manchester City striker stepped up to secure his country’s first ever victory in the knockout stages of a major tournament.
After Patrick Berg burst in behind the Ivorian defence and slid a ball across the six-yard box, Haaland was in position to side-foot home from close range, sending the thousands of Scandinavian supporters packed into the AT&T Stadium into raptures.
As the blonde behemoth wheeled away to celebrate flanked by his team-mates, the camera panned to his father Alf-Inge in the stands.
And the ex-Man City midfielder, who attends the majority of his son’s matches, looked overcome with emotion as he buried his face in his hands before celebrating passionately moments later when the final whistle was blown.
The historic victory came 32 years after Alf-Inge himself represented Norway in the last World Cup on American soil, when the Vikings failed to make it out of their group.
Erling Haaland sent Norway through to the Round of 32 with an 86th-minute winner against Ivory Coast
As the Man City striker wheeled away to celebrate, the camera panned to his father, who appeared emotional in the stands
Later, Alf-Inge Haaland was seen celebrating passionately after the final whistle was blown
But now his son will spearhead the Norwegian attack when they face Brazil in the last-16 of the World Cup on Sunday night. The goal tonight marked Haaland’s 25th in his last 13 competitive international matches.
As has been custom at this World Cup, Norway celebrated by performing their Viking row, led by captain Martin Odegaard, on the pitch in Texas.
Yet the win was far from a formality for Ståle Solbakken’s side against an Ivory Coast squad featuring Amad Diallo, Franck Kessie and Yan Diomande.
After a cagey opening 30 minutes, Antonio Nusa put the Vikings 1-0 up just before half-time with a sumptuous curler bent into the top corner.
Later, after being left on the bench, Diallo hit back for the Ivorians on 74 minutes when he jinked past two defenders in the box to fire home from close range.
But, eventually, Haaland sent his country through with a goal in the dying embers.
Haaland, Odegaard and Co will now face a Brazilian side in the next round which struggled to beat the Japanese in Houston yesterday.
Having gone into the interval 1-0 down following a Kaishu Suno opener, Carlo Ancelotti’s side were resurgent in the second-half.
Casemiro equalised with a bullet header before, after being brought off the bench, Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli won it for the Selecao in added time.
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