FLASH
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Two of the most exciting forwards in the world, Vinicius Jr. and Erling Haaland, will be in the spotlight on Sunday night in New Jersey, when Brazil faces Norway in a crucial round of 16 match.
Despite their dominance in world football, Brazil have historically struggled against Norway. After four games without a win, the Selecao will be hoping that the fifth time will finally bring success.
Carlo Ancelotti's team has shown quality, but also weaknesses. After narrowly escaping elimination against Japan, winning 2-1 after extra time in the round of 32, Brazil needs a more convincing performance against Norway, one of the "dark horses" of this tournament.
Led by Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, Norway come in with high confidence. They are one of only three teams that Brazil have failed to record a win against at the World Cup.
How did Brazil and Norway reach the round of 16?
Brazil finished top of Group C, after victories over Scotland and Haiti, as well as a draw with Morocco. In the round of 32, they defeated Japan 2-1 after extra time.
Norway finished second in Group I, beating Iraq and Senegal, but were defeated by France. In the round of 32, they secured a 2–1 victory over Ivory Coast in the dying minutes, recording their first success in a knockout match at the World Cup, following previous eliminations by Italy in 1938 and 1998.
Can Haaland extend Norway's dream?
Whether for club or country, Erling Haaland's influence remains crucial. Of the 10 goals Norway have scored in this tournament, five have come from the 25-year-old forward, an impressive tally for his World Cup debut.
Tonight, Norway will need its 1.95-meter-tall striker to make the difference again if it aims to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.
The Norwegians can take inspiration from the 1998 team that beat Brazil 2-1 in the group stage of the World Cup. Moreover, coach Ståle Solbakken was part of that team as a midfielder.
"Brazil are the favorites, of course, but we hope to put them in trouble. We don't go on the field to enjoy the game, but to win it and reach the quarterfinals. It is possible, although very difficult ," Solbakken declared.
Norway, on the other hand, will be paying special attention to Vinicius Jr., who with four goals is Brazil's top scorer and most important player in the tournament. He became the first Brazilian since Ronaldo and Rivaldo in 2002 to score in all three group stage matches at a World Cup. That year was the last time Brazil lifted the trophy.
Match prediction
According to Opta's supercomputer, Brazil has a 53.6 percent chance of winning within regular time, while Norway is given a 22.4 percent chance.
The model also predicts a 24 percent probability that the match will go into overtime.
Who will the winner face?
The winner of the Brazil-Norway match will play the winner of the Mexico-England match in the quarterfinals in Miami on Saturday, July 11.
Meeting history
Norway has a rare record against Brazil, having never been defeated in four meetings between them, recording two wins and two draws. Among them is a 2-1 victory in the group stage of the 1998 World Cup.
The last meeting between the two national teams took place in 2006 in a friendly match, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Another statistic that worries Carlo Ancelotti is the fact that Brazil have been eliminated in each of their last six World Cup knockout matches against European opponents, since their victory over Germany in the 2002 final.
Possible formations
Brazil (4-3-3): Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Santos; Guimaraes, Casemiro, Martinelli; Rayan, Cunha, Vinicius. Norway (4-3-3): Nyland; Pedersen, Ajer, Heggem, Moller Wolfe; Odegaard, Berge, Berg; Sorloth, Haaland, Nusa.
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