Brazil, the side that knocked Japan out, will meet Haaland's Norway in the last 16

An 86th-minute winner

In front of the Ivory Coast goal, Erling Haaland scuffed his shot. The ball rolled without pace and crept over the line, and Haaland looked almost embarrassed before he looked happy. That was Norway's winner in the 86th minute, and it settled a 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast.

Ivory Coast controlled most of the match, yet Norway struck first. In the 39th minute Antonio Nusa cut inside and curled a left-footed shot from the edge of the box, against the run of play. After the break, Ivory Coast brought on Amad and pushed Norway back; in the 74th he equalised with a solo goal, a one-two with Nicolas Pepe before beating his man and finishing. But from there Ivory Coast dropped deep, as if playing for extra time, and the pressure that invited ended with Oscar Bobb and Patrick Berg combining for the cutback that Haaland forced home.

Norway lean on Haaland, and still win

ESPN's Mark Ogden wrote that Norway's World Cup hopes come down to Haaland. The winning goal was not clean. But Haaland scored it, and Norway are advancing at a stage they have long missed. For all the attacking names around him, including Martin Odegaard, this is a side whose goals fall to one man, and the way they won showed it. Not pretty, but through.

Next: Brazil, the five-time champions who eliminated Japan

The result sets Brazil's round-of-16 opponent. Brazil play Norway at 5 a.m. Japan time on July 6 (July 5 local). Brazil ended Japan's tournament on June 30, winning 1-2 on Martinelli's goal deep in second-half stoppage time. For anyone in Japan following how far Brazil can go, the next question is whether they can contain Haaland.

The same day: France sweep Sweden aside

In the day's other tie, France beat Sweden 3-0. Kylian Mbappe scored on the stroke of half-time and again in the 78th, with Barcola adding the second in the 63rd. Mbappe now has six goals at the tournament and leads the Golden Boot race, level with Messi on goals but ahead on assists. The expected-goals count was 3.18 to 0.66. France meet Paraguay in the last 16, at 6 a.m. Japan time on July 5.

Half of the round-of-16 bracket is still blank. Whether a Norway side that struggled against Ivory Coast can stop the five-time champions is another matter.