Search

show me:

Norway vs Spain tips: La Roja chase Oslo victory with qualification in sight

3 minute read

Norway need to cause a major upset against Spain on Sunday if they are to extend their hopes of reaching the 2024 Euros.

Aymeric Laporte of Spain.
Aymeric Laporte of Spain. Picture: AAP Image

Norway kept their qualification hopes alive with a comfortable 4-0 win in Cyprus on Thursday, and if they can pull off a similar result in Oslo, they would leapfrog Spain into second spot, albeit with only one game remaining and needing other results to go their way if they are to qualify.

Spain, on the other hand, managed to beat Scotland 2-0 on Thursday and a victory in Scandinavia would book their ticket to Germany next summer, along with that of Scotland.

Norway boast an impressive attack, led by the formidable Erling Haaland, who bagged a couple of goals in Cyprus, but they have shortcomings in defence that they will do well to protect against the Spanish attack.

They have conceded in all three home qualifiers, beating Cyprus 2-1 and Georgia 3-1, but slipping to a 2-1 defeat to surprise group leaders Scotland, and it is likely they will need to buck that trend with an unlikely clean sheet to get the better of La Roja. 

Spain have been something of a goal machine in this qualifying campaign, enjoying huge wins against Cyprus at home (6-0) and coming away from Georgia with a massive 7-1 scoreline in their favour. 

Their only defeat in this group was something of a shock in March, going down 2-0 in Scotland, although last week's reversal of that scoreline has brought them within three points of the Scots with a game in hand. 

In the reverse fixture in March, Spain managed a 3-0 win at home, thanks to a goal from Olmo and a brace from Joselu, and indeed four of the last five games between the two teams have been won by Spain, while Norway's only ever victory in this fixture came with their 1-0 success at Euro 2000.

Spain are in excellent form with five consecutive wins in these preliminaries and the Nations League, and they should put themselves on next summer's plane to Germany with a win on Sunday night. 


Racing and Sports

What’s gambling really costing you?

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit www.gamblinghelponline.org.au