Antonio Nusa picked up the ball, looked up, and hit it exactly like someone who doesn't yet know he's supposed to be nervous. At half-time in New York, Norway lead Côte d'Ivoire — and a Round of 16 date with Brazil is sitting right there, one second half away.
Nusa's strike, described by Foot Mercato as a 'missile', arrived at the perfect moment — right on half-time, the kind of goal that doesn't just change a scoreline but changes the entire atmosphere of a tournament. Norway, dangerous and direct, suddenly look like a team with a genuine story to tell at this World Cup.
The venue was New York. The stakes were a last-16 berth. Nusa, one of the most electric young talents at the tournament, chose the moment well.
If Norway hold on, they face Brazil in the Round of 16 — and that fixture writes itself. The five-time world champions against a Norwegian side built around pace, directness, and a teenager who hits the ball like it owes him money. It is the kind of draw that makes a tournament.
Norway have carried a sense of purpose through this game. Nusa has been the standout — the player who makes you put the phone down.
This is a half-time story, and half-time stories have a habit of ageing badly. Côte d'Ivoire are not done — they have the quality to turn this around, and forty-five minutes is a long time when the stakes are this high. Norway need to see it out. The second half is everything.
But for now, in New York, Nusa has given Norway something to believe in. And if the scoreline holds — Brazil, you have been warned.
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Sources: Foot Mercato; a second corroborating source (BBC Sport, Sky Sports, ESPN FC, or official FIFA match centre) is required before publication to meet sourcing threshold. R16 date and venue to be confirmed via official FIFA match centre.
Antonio Nusa picked up the ball, looked up, and hit it exactly like someone who doesn't yet know he's supposed to be nervous. At half-time in New York, Norway lead Côte d'Ivoire
Fuentes
Foot Mercato
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