I find it difficult to split these two sides, but I do think this will be an entertaining Round of 32 tie between two nations who will have plenty of momentum following their positive group stage performances. 

Norway have seen BTTS in all three of their matches so far and look a little light at the back. I think they’ll be exposed at times by the speed of this Ivory Coast side in transition, but you can’t rule out Norway getting on the scoresheet, given that they have Erling Haaland within their ranks, who has scored four goals across his two starts so far.

Ivory Coast managed to score against Germany in an unlucky 2-1 defeat to Naglesmann’s side, and I think they can cause another European side problems here in what should be an end-to-end game.

I think this will be quite an open game between two sides who could easily go on a bit of a run at this World Cup, following on from their promising displays in the group stages of the competition.

Norway are yet to keep a clean sheet so far, having conceded against France, Iraq, and Senegal in battling to second place in their group. Nyland has been forced into making two saves across his two starts, with both of these stops coming against Senegal as Norway came away 3-2 winners over the African side.

Nyland was forced into making 17 saves during qualifying for Norway (2.12 per 90) with a save percentage of 77.3%. I think he gets called into action at least twice here, with Norway’s backline being the weakest part of their side and the Ivory Coast offering a decent attacking threat.

Erling Haaland was rested for Norway’s final group game against France, but should come back into the starting lineup here as one of the best finishers at the tournament so far.

Haaland has scored four goals across his two matches from 10 shots (5.00 per 90), seeing seven of these efforts find the target (3.50 per 90). This Norway side is built to feed him chances, and two shots on target for Norway’s top scorer during qualifying looks achievable in this clash.

Haaland scored 16 goals across eight starts in qualifying for Norway from 41 shots (5.23 per 90), seeing 28 of these efforts find the target (3.57 per 90). He’s also got a ridiculous record in international football more widely having netted 59 goals across 52 caps.

David Moller Wolfe was also rested for Norway against France last time out but should come back into the fold here to line up at left-back, where he’ll be faced up by Amad Diallo.

Moller Wolfe has committed 2+ fouls in both of his World Cup matches so far, committing three fouls in Norway’s 4-1 win over Iraq. He had a pretty unremarkable domestic campaign during the 25/26 season for Wolves, but did commit fouls pretty consistently with 10 across his 11 starts in the Premier League (0.86 per 90).

He also averaged 1.45 fouls committed per 90 during qualifying, so he is very consistent when it comes to committing fouls, and his main opponent here in Amad Diallo has won two fouls across 154 minutes of action at the World Cup so far and averaged 1.46 fouls won per 90 during the 25/26 campaign for Manchester United.

Frank Kessie has started all three games for the Ivory Coast at the World Cup as captain and has been aggressive across these games, with five fouls committed so far.

Kessie was shown a yellow card in his opening game of the tournament as he committed three fouls against Ecuador, and he should have plenty of work to get through here against an organised and complete Norwegian midfield. 

Kessie plays his club football in Saudi Arabia for Al Ahli and committed 34 fouls across 26 starts during the 25/26 campaign (1.41 per 90). I expect him to commit at least one foul here, as he has done in each of his three matches at the World Cup so far.

Martin Odegaard is such an important player for Norway and has a particularly strong relationship with Erling Haaland, which makes him a good option to register an assist in this clash, having already set up two goals at the tournament.

Odegaard was also afforded a rest against France last time out, so he should enter this game refreshed. He’s set up a goal in each of his two games so far, from two chances created, showing the benefit of having a player as clinical as Haaland one the end of the chances he sets up for the striker.

Odegaard set up seven goals during qualifying across five starts from 25 chances created (5.01 per 90). Norway’s set up involves Odegaard and Haaland linking up as often as possible - and Odegaard’s role on set pieces for Norway also aids this selection.

As I've mentioned already, I think the Ivory Coast will cause Norway problems in transition. They have a lot of speed at the top end of the pitch, and their wide players in particular can be really threatening, with the duo expected to be Yan Diomande and Amad Diallo.

Of those two wide players, I think Diallo is a slightly bigger shot threat. Diomande is incredibly talented and will get a big move over the next few weeks, but he’s been featuring in more of a creative role for the Ivory Coast so far and is yet to get on the scoresheet. 

On the other hand, Diallo has already scored at the World Cup with a crucial winning goal against Ecuador to ensure that the Ivory Coast finished second in the group. He’s taken six shots across his two starts (3.51 per 90), finding the target twice with these efforts (1.17 per 90).

There was a moment in Canada v South Africa a few days ago where Sphephelo Sithole charged into a Canada player in the first half and quite literally shoulder barged him to the ground. He wasn’t given a yellow card on that occasion, which is a scenario that sums up card betting at the World Cup so far.

The referees have been extremely lenient when reaching for their pockets, even those referees who are usually quite card-happy, but I see this changing in the knockout stages, as the constant threat of elimination usually leads to more card-heavy games.

Ibrahim Sangare is a prime candidate for caution here, having collected five yellow cards across 25 starts for Nottingham Forest during the 25/26 campaign.

He hasn’t got that stuck in at the World Cup yet, but he is quite an industrious player and should get caught up in a competitive midfield battle here with not much at all to split these two sides.