Nyland goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland kept Norway level in a scoreless first half against Brazil in the World Cup 2026 last 16. Brazil missed a penalty before halftime, and Norway had a goal disallowed in a 0-0 match that was still hanging in the balance at 45 minutes plus 5.
Nyland Stands Up to Vini
At 41 minutes, Nyland made a good save after Vini twisted and turned in the area. Eight minutes earlier, he had reached Martinelli's cross across goal with a boot and pushed it away before it could turn into a simpler finish. Those two interventions mattered because Brazil kept finding space on the break even while Norway spent long stretches with the ball.
Brazil's best chance at the other end came before the break when the missed penalty left the match level. said Bruno Guimaraes was the first Brazilian to miss a World Cup penalty since 1986. The scoreline stayed blank, but the half already carried enough pressure swings to decide the shape of the second.
Norway Possession, Brazil Counters
At 22 minutes, Norway had 60% of the possession. That did not translate into control of the most dangerous moments. Brazil still looked sharper when the ball changed hands, and the live commentary described them as dangerous on the counterattack throughout the first half.
Norway did create openings. At 25 minutes, they won a free-kick about 45 yards from goal, and at 45 minutes plus 3, Odegaard forced a save from Alisson. The sequence showed a team able to keep the ball and probe, but not yet turn that edge into a lead.
Brazil's Miss and Norway's Reply
The biggest swing before the interval came from Brazil's penalty miss. That chance had the kind of weight that usually changes a knockout game, yet Norway's response was immediate in the form of the disallowed goal and Nyland's saves. Between the two boxes, the game never settled into one pattern for long.
Fox's live note at 45 minutes plus 1 summed up the other strand in Norway's attack: "Haaland has scored every 14 touches this World Cup. Why don’t they just pass it to him 14 times then?" Haaland and Odegaard were both involved in several Norway attacks before halftime, and Norway also had more possession at one stage without turning that into a cushion.
The second half opened with both sides still tied to the same problem: one big chance each had gone unused, and the next clean finish would likely decide the match. Brazil had the counterattacking edge, Norway had the ball for periods, and Nyland had already done enough to keep the door open.
