One of the more surprising World Cup overachievers, Ivory Coast, face Norway, an equally inexperienced nation at this stage of the tournament, in a Round of 32 match at the AT&T Stadium in Texas.
Norway produced some of the most exciting matches in the group stage, winning against Iraq and Senegal, but losing to France. This, however, felt like a calculated decision, considering that manager Stale Solbakken left Erling Haaland on the bench.
But this also means that the star striker will be well rested and at 100% for this knockout clash. This will be key, as Norway seek their first-ever knockout-stage win, having previously reached the Round of 16 twice, though back when the World Cup format didn't feature a Round of 32.
Ivory Coast finished second in their group behind Germany after wins over Ecuador and Curacao. This is a historical achievement for the Elephants, who got eliminated in the group stages of all three previous attempts. And they hadn't qualified for a World Cup since 2014 too.
This will be huge test for Ivory Coast, but they already came very close to getting something against Germany, which should provide enough confidence that they can deal with Norway.
Nevertheless, this matchup is a classic clash of styles, as Ivory Coast are known for their solid defensive work, while Norway are a strictly attacking team that openly takes risks.
How the bookies view it: The Vikings to sail away into the next round
Bookmakers side with Norway, and the advantage they've been given is significant. Remember, Ivory Coast are 33rd in the FIFA World Rankings, while Norway are 31st. On paper, this should be a competitive clash.
Currently, you can back Ivory Coast at 27/10, a draw at 5/2, or Norway at around 21/20. Curiously, Norway's odds have been moving up ever since the match was confirmed, having been released at around 9/10 originally, so the Elephants must be getting some support. Find the best options available using our best mobile apps for world cup betting.
Recent head-to-head: Norway’s record against African nations is a reason to worry
Considering the two nations have never been part of the same World Cup edition before, this will be their first-ever official clash. However, Norway's all-time record against African nations is impressive, as the Vikings have lost only twice in 19 matches.
Players to watch: Haaland will raid Ivory Coast’s defence
This may be Erling Haaland's first World Cup, but he's quickly moving up the all-time goalscorers ladder after his back-to-back braces against Iraq and Senegal. And since he sat on the bench against France, we expect him to be on the hunt again on Tuesday.
Ivory Coast should be harder to break, considering how impressive their defence has been, but we can't miss the opportunity to back Haaland.
Probable line-ups
Ivory Coast: Fofana, Konan, Diomande, Kossounou, Doue, Kessie, Sangare, Diallo, Inao Oulai, Diomande, Pepe
Norway: Nyland, Wolfe, Lysaker Heggem, Ajer, Aursnes, Odegaard, Berge, Berg, Sorloth, Nusa, Haaland
Anything else catch the eye?
While Norway scored eight goals across their three group stage fixtures, they also conceded seven, including at least one in each match. Even Iraq found their way to the goal, and that's not a positive stat for the Vikings.
This could turn out to be a slow burner due to Ivory Coast's style, but knowing Norway, it feels less likely. Therefore, we will take advantage of the high BTTS odds.
Senegal came close to a draw against Norway, so we wouldn't risk backing the Vikings in regulation. We believe they will qualify, but it may take longer than the regular 90 minutes.
Instead, we found a very solid option for Over 1.5 fouls committed by David Wolve, currently priced at 11/10 at Bet365. Wolfe covered the line in both games he started so far, and this time, he will be tasked with stopping Amad Diallo.
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