Erling Haaland, the 25-year-old Norwegian striker, has once again etched his name in football history by leading Norway to the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals for the first time ever. His late brace eliminated five-time champions Brazil from the tournament.

"It is one of the most insane days in Norwegian history," Haaland said after the match. "Scoring twice against Brazil is something I will treasure forever, but those goals don't belong to me alone. They belong to every teammate, every coach, and every supporter."

Haaland was largely a non-factor for most of the match, but during the second-half hydration break, coach Stale Solbakken told him to drain his energy and go for it. Solbakken's wish became Haaland's command as he headed in the first goal in the 79th minute and scored again before full time.

With 62 goals in 54 appearances for Norway (1.15 goals per game), Haaland is the country's all-time top scorer. His scoring streak has reached 27 goals in 14 games. Despite being named man of the match, the humble forward credited goalkeeper Orjan Nyland.

"For me, he's my man of the match. He prevented so many goals that would have sent us home. He's the reason we're in the quarterfinals," Haaland told reporters.

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti praised Haaland's timing: "He doesn't waste energy chasing every ball. He studies defenders, waits, and understands when they lose concentration. You can defend perfectly for 89 minutes, but football is decided by moments, and he is the best at recognizing those moments."

Norway will face England in the quarterfinals after England beat co-hosts Mexico 3-2. Haaland urged fans to enjoy the moment: "This is just an insane day. Embrace it and enjoy the moment."

Source: www.aljazeera.com