Haaland stuns Brazil and England survive the Azteca to reach the quarter-finals
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Norway produced the tournament's biggest upset yet, beating Brazil 2-1 in East Rutherford to reach their first-ever World Cup quarter-final, Erling Haaland scoring twice late to take his tally to seven. According to CBS Sports, the five-time champions went out despite Vinícius Júnior's tournament-leading four goals, undone after Bruno Guimarães missed a first-half penalty and Neymar's second-half spot-kick proved only a consolation.
England reached the last eight with a dramatic 3-2 win over co-hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca, holding on for more than 40 minutes with ten men. Jude Bellingham scored twice in under two minutes and Harry Kane added a penalty before Jarell Quansah's red card, with Julián Quiñones and a Raúl Jiménez penalty giving Mexico hope, per Al Jazeera, in a game delayed an hour by a thunderstorm.
The results advanced Norway and England to the quarter-finals, joining France and Morocco in a last eight that is rapidly taking shape, according to Yahoo Sports.
Transfer and squad notes
Brazil's exit ended Carlo Ancelotti's campaign in disappointment, the missed Guimarães penalty and a laboured attack undermining a side that had survived a scare against Japan; Neymar's gradual return also ended with elimination, per NBC Sports.
England advanced despite the numerical disadvantage, Thomas Tuchel's side digging in after Quansah's dismissal, with Bellingham's brace the decisive intervention, according to the Football Association's match report.
What it means for the league
The knockout rounds have claimed another giant, Brazil following Germany, the Netherlands and now the co-hosts Mexico out of a tournament that keeps rewarding the resilient. Norway's fairytale, powered by Haaland, and Morocco's run give the last eight a distinctly unfamiliar look, while England march on the hard way. With the quarter-finals forming around France, Morocco, Norway and England, the field narrows sharply as Spain, Portugal and Argentina prepare to complete the bracket.