Erling Haaland settled it with four minutes left, and Norway are through to the last 16. His 86th-minute finish, set up by Patrick Berg, spared Stale Solbakken's side from what would have been a painful exit after Ivory Coast levelled through Amad Diallo. This was a match Norway controlled for long stretches but nearly allowed to slip through their fingers, only for their most reliable match-winner to have the decisive final word in Dallas.
Antonio Nusa had given Norway the lead six minutes before half-time. Martin Ødegaard's assist provided the quality, and Nusa's finish put Norway ahead in a first half they managed with quiet authority. The opener came against the run of the corner count, with Ivory Coast generating set-piece opportunities without the cutting edge to capitalise. Nusa had been bright if combative throughout that period, and the yellow card he collected before his 71st-minute withdrawal was a fair reflection of his afternoon: effective but occasionally over-eager on the ball.
Ørjan Nyland was tested three times in the Norwegian goal and dealt with each occasion without fuss. Norway's xG figure of 2.02 against Ivory Coast's 1.11 suggests Solbakken's side were the more dangerous unit even on a day when the ball moved sluggishly in patches. The structure was there from the off: 54 per cent possession, 88 per cent pass accuracy, and a disciplined defensive shape that asked Ivory Coast to be patient.
Emerse Fae's side were not without their own ambition or quality. They completed 332 accurate passes from 390 attempts and accumulated 12 corner kicks, which speaks to their persistence in trying to work around a well-organised Norwegian back line. Ibrahim Sangaré and Yan Diomande gave the midfield real presence, and the Ivory Coast back four was rarely breached in open play during the first half. But converting sustained pressure into genuine chances remained a problem the opening 45 minutes could not solve, and the interval scoreline was a fair one.
The equaliser arrived in the 74th minute and changed the texture of the game entirely. Amad Diallo, introduced from the bench, received a pass from Nicolas Pépé and finished to make it 1-1. It was a goal that shifted the mood; for 12 minutes, Ivory Coast had something genuine to hold onto and the prospect of extra time became a real possibility. Norway regrouped. Andreas Schjelderup and Oscar Bobb had come on at 71 minutes and helped steady things, but the Ivorians continued to press and earned a further six corners in the second half alone.
Then Berg, who had been quietly excellent all afternoon in a way that tends to go unnoticed until you look at the assists column, found Haaland in the 86th minute. The finish was certain and swift. The result was settled. Haaland's first goal of the tournament arrived precisely when Norway needed someone to act, and he obliged without visible hesitation.
Kristoffer Ajer was composed and aerially reliable throughout the full 94 minutes. Ødegaard was the most influential player on the pitch for extended periods, combining the unglamorous protective work with the creative touches that defined Norway's better passages. Berg, though, was the player of the match, covering every metre of the pitch and providing both the assist and the platform.
For Ivory Coast, Pépé's assist was a fine contribution in a game where he worked without consistent reward, and Diallo's equaliser will be viewed as one of the more impressive cameos in this competition. Small consolations. They are eliminated, and questions about the starting XI selections will follow. Norway advance as deserved winners, and Haaland will be difficult to stop as the competition progresses.