EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., July 5 (Reuters) - Norway coach Stale Solbakken paid tribute to his squad after an energy-sapping, nerve-jangling 2-1 win over Brazil on Sunday that sent them into the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time where they will face co-hosts Mexico or England.
Norway's rowing celebration has become ubiquitous during the tournament, but they had to navigate shark-infested waters against the Brazilians, as well as survive a late penalty from Neymar deep into stoppage time that
could have capsized them.
"This is a great group, they love being together, they train well, they help each other and protect each other. We have a strong culture and we give the opportunity to let people to be themselves and say whatever they want, and that's a very important part of the whole thing, when things go well and when things go not so well," Solbakken told reporters.
SELFLESS RUNNING
Haaland struck both goals in a sensational 2-1 win to dump the Brazilians out of the tournament, and the selfless running of every player in red and the outstanding goalkeeping of out-of-contract Orjan Nyland set the scene for Norway's greatest win in football.
With the job done, the fans and team did their rowing celebration, echoing the scenes of joy back home as tens of thousands of fans flooded the streets to celebrate.
"I think that the whole nation is rowing together, and with that, I mean that we are having a great party here and in Oslo and in all the other big and small cities all the way through Norway," Solbakken said.
"The rowing is in a way a symbol of that, and that we are all together. So I think it's great days, it's a great summer to be a fan -- I think it's better to be a fan than a coach," he grinned.
Surprisingly, it was Norway who dominated possession in the game, but Solbakken said it was always the plan for his side to try to hold onto the ball in the afternoon heat.
"We just wanted to have as much possession as possible of the ball. They are not all comfortable if we can have long spells with the ball, they have players who are good in their positions, but maybe they don't like chasing the ball," he said.
Leaving the podium less than 10 minutes before England were due to kick off against Mexico, Solbakken appeared uninterested in that result.
"I have no preferences for who are going to meet in the next game. If it's Mexico, it's Mexico, if it's England, it's England. I think in many phases we played up to our best today against a very good team, we had to be at our best," he said.
"I said that yesterday if we're going to win, and I think we were close to our best (today)."
(Reporting by Philip O'Connor, editing by Ed Osmond)
