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Decision vindicated. The Norway coach, Ståle Solbakken, had taken a major gamble in resting almost his entire side in the final group game against France, drawing stiff criticism, not least from those who had paid hundreds of dollars to witness a showdown between Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé. As Solbakken said, the decision would stand or fall on the result of this game. Norway are in the last 16, and therefore his policy can be considered justified.

It was, though, a mightily close-run thing. Having taken a first-half lead through Antonio Nusa, Norway had seemed to be in control, Côte d’Ivoire’s possession sterile. But then Amad Diallo produced one of the great substitute interventions, making a remarkable clearance to keep out a Torbjørn Heggem volley before scoring a stunning equaliser. But with four minutes remaining, Erling Haaland bundled in the winner. He may had mishit it, but none of the Norway fans packed behind that goal cared as they progressed to a last-16 tie against Brazil in New York/New Jersey.

For both these sides this was rare territory; neither had ever previously won a knockout game at a World Cup. Côte d’Ivoire, largely because of a series of brutal draws, had never previously got through the group stage despite winning a game at every World Cup they have been to. Norway, meanwhile, had played only two knockout games: in 1938 when there was no group stage, and in 1998. On both occasions they lost to Italy.

The Bodø/Glimt midfielder Patrick Berg was the only player to start both Norway’s past two matches – and it was he who teed up Haaland for his winner. But as Solbakken said, the decision would stand or fall on the result of this game.

Full report to follow