Haaland stuns Brazil, Spain & Portugal set up blockbuster World Cup clash | OneFootball

We’re getting closer and closer to crowning a new world champion, with the margin for error now thinner than ever.

Canada and Mexico have bowed out in the second knockout round, leaving the United States as the only co-hosts still standing in the race for World Cup glory.

Read on as we keep you up to date with all the latest action from North America.

Norway make history, Brazil go home

Erling Braut Haaland continues to go toe-to-toe with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race after another match-winning performance in his debut World Cup.

Not even the legendary Carlo Ancelotti had a way to contain the relentless Manchester City striker, whose second-half double inspired Norway to a stunning 2-1 victory over Brazil.

It took Haaland only 11 minutes to crush the Selecao’s dream of returning to the throne of the world for the first time since 2002.

All three players have scored seven goals, but it’s worth noting that Norway boss Stale Solbakken left the former Borussia Dortmund ace on the bench in the final group-stage fixture against France.

Neymar converted a late penalty after coming off the bench midway through the second half, but it was too little too late for the record-time world champions.

Things may have been different had Bruno Guimaraes kept his cool from the spot in the first half, though Orjan Nyland deserved all the credit, as he enjoyed an unforgettable game at the MetLife Stadium.

Nyland’s brilliance between the sticks condemned Brazil to a seventh consecutive knockout defeat against European opposition at the most prestigious international tournament.

Haaland’s heroics propelled the Scandinavian side to their first World Cup quarter-final, where they’ll lock horns with England.

England end Mexico’s dream

Another high-scoring last-16 clash took place at the iconic Azteca Stadium, where England sneaked past co-hosts Mexico.

Manager Thomas Tuchel had someone other than Harry Kane stepping up to the plate, as Real Madrid talisman Jude Bellingham notched a first-half brace to put clear daylight between the sides.

After heading home Bukayo Saka’s delightful cross at the far post, the skilled midfielder tapped in Kane’s pass across the face of goal to make it 2-0 in the space of two minutes, only for Julian Quinones to blow the contest wide open in the 42nd minute.

The second half couldn’t have started any worse for the Three Lions as Jarell Quansah received a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Jesus Gallardo, handing Mexico a major boost.

However, Kane restored a two-goal cushion just six minutes later, slotting home another penalty, but it was not the end of drama by any stretch of the imagination.

Raul Jimenez scored from the spot on the opposite side of the pitch in the 69th minute, and with a quarter of the game left, Javier Aguirre’s side threw everything at England.

Despite Mexico’s best efforts, England held firm to move a step closer towards ending an agonising 60-year wait for a major piece of silverware.

Iberian derby takes centre stage in Arlington

Eight years since Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat-trick in an enthralling 3-3 draw in Sochi, Portugal and Spain face off at the World Cup. The stakes are much higher this time.

With a place in the quarter-finals at stake, the Iberian neighbours clash at AT&T Stadium, as Luis de la Fuente’s men seek revenge for a heartbreaking defeat in last year’s Nations League final.

Portugal’s nerve-shredding victory after a dramatic penalty shoot-out marked their first win in the last 12 competitive meetings between the sides, perhaps best illustrating the magnitude of the task awaiting them here.

After coming from behind to beat Croatia in the round of 32, Portugal are vying for consecutive knockout wins at the World Cup for the first time since 2006, and they must defy the odds to make that happen.

Spain may have had a relatively quiet group stage by their high standards, but they came into their own in the opening knockout round, putting Austria to the sword in a one-sided match at SoFi Stadium.

Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice in a dominant 3-0 triumph as La Furia Roja became the first team since Germany in 2014 to prevent their opposition from making a single shot on target in a knockout game.

In doing so, the reigning European champions extended their unbeaten run at major tournaments to 11 matches, setting themselves up perfectly for this mouth-watering showdown.

Top football stories

Football Today features

What to watch

Ronaldo has performed in patches, but Portugal’s hopes of progressing into the quarter-finals may well rest on his shoulders.

While Roberto Martinez can call upon the most prolific player in men’s international football history, Oyarzabal could be Spain’s hero.

The Real Sociedad forward has netted an eye-catching 17 goals in his last 16 starts for his country, outshining even Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal.

Since both sides boast an embarrassment of riches in attack, this could be another memorable contest.