The second match of the day was a monument to football. The English national team has gotten revenge for the Azteca stadium, where in 1986 they lost the World Cup quarter-finals against Maradona's Argentina, and has won 2-3 against the Mexicans. The home team carried the weight of the match, but Jude Bellingham scored two goals in a single minute of play, taking advantage of defensive errors by the home side. Quiñones scored the first local goal before half-time. In the second half, England complicated matters for themselves due to a red card for Quansah, but immediately after, new Barça player Anthony Gordon forced a penalty that Kane did not miss. Another penalty, converted by Raúl Jiménez, made the Mexicans dream, but England successfully defended against Mexican crosses and achieved a victory to remember.
Brazil falls crushed by Haaland and England dreams
The English conquer the Azteca stadium on the day of the shipwreck of the Brazilian team against Norway
BarcelonaA 24-year streak that will be extended, at least, for four more years. Brazil will continue to ask itself questions, trying to figure out when it lost its magic and joy. 24 years without winning the World Cup. And it will be 28, the longest period of drought in Brazilian football history, as in New York, the team coached by Carlo Ancelotti has been eliminated in the round of 16 against a Norway that touches the sky thanks to two goals from Haaland (1-2). The first has arrived and it seemed like the match would go to extra time, with 10 minutes left. The Manchester City forward rose between two defenders and his header, as powerful as a hammer blow from a Viking deity, allowed Norway to open the path that has led them to the quarter-finals for the first time in their history. Norway's opponent in the quarter-finals will be England, who won at the Azteca Stadium after an epic match (2-3).
Brazil had been getting excited in recent days thanks to the results of a team that wasn't playing well. Everyone knew that for years something hasn't been right in Brazil, with poor results in qualifying matches and many coaching changes. Perhaps for this reason they opted for Carlo Ancelotti, who is the first foreign coach to lead the Brazilian team during a World Cup final phase. A man capable of creating winning cycles and managing high-pressure environments. And the Italian coach had repeatedly said that they had to win at all costs. That it wasn't the time to play well or talk about the jogo bonito of the past. And his team is quite honest, stringing together long phases of play without even smelling the ball. In fact, Norway made twice as many passes as Brazil, who tried to make vertical attacks. But Vinícius wasn't having his day, well covered by a very organized opponent, who understood the match better than Ancelotti. Nor has it been Vinícius's World Cup, who not long ago said he deserved to win the Ballon d'Or and now sees that he doesn't reach the same level as players like Messi, Mbappé or Haaland.
Norway had already scored in the 5th minute of play, in an action that was offside for Sorloth. The match was quite even, with an exchange of blows, as Brazil has talent. Perhaps there is a lack of joy and dominance, but not the desire to win. But in football, you can't afford to miss. And the Canarinha did so twice. The first before halftime, when Ajer committed a very clear penalty on Mateus Cunha. The one in charge of taking the shot was Bruno Guimaraes, and Nyland, who was the great hero of the match, saved the penalty. Vinícius, surprisingly, did not take the penalty. Ancelotti explained that they had chosen the Newcastle footballer for statistical reasons. "I think Bruno was the best kicker to take this shot. He has trained very well. Many will say that I didn't want to take the shot, but I never shy away from responsibility. I take penalties for Real Madrid when necessary, and for the national team too when necessary," said Vinícius.
Haaland's moment
In the second half, Stale Solbakken, Norway's coach, changed his two wingers: he sent Nusa and Sorloth to the bench at halftime to give minutes to Bobb and Schjelderup, in order to strike better with spaces. A gamble that has worked quite well for him. After 60 minutes without biting, Ancelotti opted for Endrick, but the forward who has played at Lyon in recent months missed the second great Brazilian chance, when he was left alone in front of Nyland. But he missed when it seemed impossible.
Alisson also had work to do as goalkeeper, as the game was breaking up, even though Brazil did not exceed 34% possession, the lowest figure of the canary in a World Cup match. Brazil was playing with fire, and with 10 minutes left to play, they got burned. Schjelderup made a cross that Haaland headed into the far post. Until then, Haaland hadn't managed to finish many plays, but he didn't miss this one, with a very aesthetic jump that showed his power.
When Norway scored the first goal, Neymar was already playing, who ended up losing his temper and started chasing opponents and committing fouls. It hasn't been his day, and it's also been his World Cup. In fact, he has ended up announcing that, after four World Cups where he hasn't had luck, he is retiring from the national team. Today the glory was destined for Haaland, who had time to invent the goal that decided the match with a dry shot from the edge of the box. He now has seven, as many as Messi and Mbappé. Brazil started to cry, although in the last minute Norway conceded a second penalty that Neymar converted. But there were only 30 seconds of play left, which passed without incident.
Haaland, under the gaze of his father, who played in the 1994 World Cup, has managed to elevate the football of his homeland higher than ever before. His quarter-final opponent will be England. And incidentally, the Scandinavians have deepened the wound of the Brazilians, who extended Ancelotti's contract until 2030 before this World Cup. "This defeat will be the start of a new cycle," the Italian said about his team.
A team that has lost its joy, suffocated by the weight of wearing a jersey with five stars that weigh heavily. Already in the 90s, despite winning in the United States in 1994, Brazil had been losing its magic, with increasingly defensive tactics. In 2002, they won their fifth star in Yokohama, but since then everything has been breaking down, with eliminations against France and the Netherlands. In 2014, they reached the semi-finals as hosts and suffered the hardest blow: the humiliating 1-7 defeat at home against Germany. And since then, increasingly painful eliminations have followed, against European countries with few inhabitants like Belgium, Croatia, and now, Norway. As Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes sang, "tristeza não tem fim, felicidade sim". The sadness of Brazilian football never ends. It has lasted for 24 years.
