'Why on earth?' Holand's historic slump: Never seen like this before... 'Goal in every match' ends with zero goals, leading to World Cup elimination

*This content was translated by AI.

Never before has a monster striker of this caliber been so tightly shut down. Erling Haaland (Manchester City), who had continued his goal-scoring streak throughout the World Cup, could not prevent his team's elimination despite his poor performance.

Norway suffered a 2-1 comeback defeat against England in the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup quarterfinal match held at Miami Stadium in Florida, USA, on the morning of the 12th (Korean time) after an extended period of intense play.

Norway, which caused a sensation by pulling off an upset victory over Brazil in the round of 16, failed to overcome the wall of England, a favorite for the title, and missed out on a spot in the semifinals.

At the center of today's defeat was the silence of Norway's ace, Haaland. Haaland had tasted goals in every match he played in this tournament. After scoring two goals each against Iraq and Senegal in the group stage, followed by one goal against Ivory Coast, he netted a total of seven goals across four matches, including the round of 16 clash with Brazil, placing him third overall in scoring behind Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, who each scored eight goals.

However, the quarterfinal match against England was different. The England national team featured players such as John Stones (Manchester City) and Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), many of whom face Haaland weekly or play on the same team in the English Premier League (EPL). Under intense marking by EPL defenders who perfectly understood Haaland's playing style, he was unable to showcase any of his strengths.

The actual statistics clearly showed Haaland's slump. According to the football statistics specialist 'FootMob', Haaland was tightly marked by England's defense throughout the match, managing only 21 touches of the ball. His expected goals (xG) were a mere 0.11, indicating minimal impact. He attempted just two shots during the game, with only one on target.

Haaland, who failed to show any significant performance during the 90th minutes of regular time, could not change the flow even in extra time. As soon as the first half of extra time ended, he was substituted off and left the pitch. After retreating to the bench, Haaland buried his face, unable to hide his disappointment and revealing deep bitterness.

With Haaland silenced, Norway attacked England using their fast wing resources. Although England took early control of the match, the opening goal belonged to Norway. In the 36th minute of the first half, Sildrup broke down the left flank and scored the opening goal with a sharp left-footed shot. England immediately counterattacked. In stoppage time of the first half, Jude Bellingham received a pass from Anthony Gordon, rushed into the penalty area, and equalized with a left-footed shot, returning the match to a draw.

In the second half, England made tactical changes by bringing on Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, and Reece James in succession. Norway's Torbjørn Heggem scored in the sixth minute of the second half from a corner kick situation, but the goal was disallowed after a video assistant referee (VAR) review confirmed a foul. Although Norway attempted to create changes by using all three of their substitution cards, no additional goals were scored, and the 90th minutes of regular time ended without further action.

Joy and sorrow diverged in extra time. In the third minute of the first half of extra time, Morgan Rogers' long-range shot from England hit the goalkeeper's hands and trickled away, allowing Bellingham to push it in with his right foot for a brace and the winning comeback goal. Trailing, Norway substituted Haaland for Jørgen Strand Larsen after the first half of extra time ended and launched their final offensive surge, but ultimately failed to break through England's solid defense.

Haaland, who was considered a strong contender for the tournament's top scorer and led the surprise wave, saw his first-ever World Cup campaign halted in the quarterfinals by familiar opponents on English soil. The victorious England will now compete for a spot in the final against the winner of the match between Argentina and Switzerland.

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*This content was translated by AI.